Monday, March 28, 2011

Our weekend...

It all started out Saturday morning and getting ready for Ellie's birthday party. I can't believe my baby is going to be 6 in just 2 short days. It seems like it was just a little while ago I had her. Not 6 years ago!! Ellie wanted a Tangled birthday and she had a Tangled birthday! She seemed to have so much fun. I went to the store a few weeks ago and picked out some Tangled invites. Ellie and I sat down and got them all written out and she took a few to school and gave them to some of her friends. I would say we had 12 kids 10 and under here for her party! I couldn't find a Tangled cake anywhere in town, so I went to Safeway and picked out a cake that was the closest thing to 'Tangled' that I could find. They only reason I picked it out was because in the movie Rapunzel talks to the little 'critters' so it kind of just fit.
I think Ellie got just about everything that she asked for, for her birthday. The only thing she didn't get was the movie Tangled, but that's because it doesn't come out until tomorrow. My mom is coming up on Saturday and there are going to be a few things that she will get for Ellie, that she still has asked for. I'm pretty sure the movie is one of them.

After the majority of the party guests left, it was just our close friends and their kids that stayed and hung out. Candy, Ethan, Amanda and Missy, plus the 3 kids between them. Chris and Ethan cooked hamburgers on the grill and fries in the deep fryer for dinner, since all of us woman were so busy all day with the party and making sure that it went off without a hitch. If Missy wasn't here helping keeping the presents flowing so I could take pictures or picking up and cleaning up, Amanda for writing the present list down for me for thank you cards, and Candy just to keep the 'boys' in check I don't think I would have been able to do it with all the kids and people that were here. Thanks ladies!!

On Sunday, Chris wanted to take the kids up to Evergreen lake in Quincy to see if we could catch some perch. We went all the lucky but the kids did have some fun, until the wind started to pick up.

I think I got some pretty good pictures of the kids. Like I said they did have some fun out there just watching the water and talking with one another. I'm so glad that they are at the age that they can do that!

Now, we are at Monday. I just sent the kids off to school, they got to walk with a couple of girls from down the street. They love when the weather gets a little warmer and they can start walking to and from school. I love it too! I'm so thankful we live less then 2 blocks from the school. I think its great!

Until next time!

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Birthday!

Oh what a great day! My birthday always comes on with dread of another year older, but when its here and its over, I look back at what a great time I had. This year, I got some great gifts! Chris took the kids out to do some birthday shopping for me. He decided not to let them actually 'pick out' my gift, but instead, took them to a little boutique where they sold Vera Bradley purses, and told them to pick out the color. Chris knew that he couldn't go wrong with a Vera! I am now the proud owner of the cutest 'Blue Lagoon' Hipster purse! I love it, I'm already wearing it every day!

My dad took me out to get a new camera. I have been wanting a new digital camera for quite some time now. I got a Nikon Coolpix L120. It's fantastic and I am in love with it! It takes the most fantastic pictures! So, what better place and models to break in a new camera then a BBQ and kids :).

Sunday we were invited over to our friend Amanda's house for a BBQ potluck. So of course we went. We had a great time, and the kids loved playing and running in the back yard with all the kids that were there.
Nicolas wa having a blast moving around all the branches, and playing under the tree. Chris had gotten up in the Walnut tree the day before to get the broken branches down so they wouldn't fall into the roof of the house.
Chris was being a little monkey. He got up in the tree quite far. Had to take a towing strap up with him to tie around the branches to pull them out so they wouldn't fall on Amanda's roof. It was a great site! Amanda and I pulled out a bench and sat in the middle of the yard and watched these 2 men attempt to get these branches out of the tree. They did a great job.

Ellie was having fun during the BBQ. There were actually 2 girls there that she could play with. Ellie is always upset because all thats around are boys for her to play with. She very rarely has any little girls to go outside and play with. So thankfully she had 2 other girls there. They were 4 and 9. She had a ball! While we were there, she was passing out eggs to everyone. You see, Sunday was Ostara (first day of spring) and after talking with Nic and Ellie and explaining to them what this all ment, Ellie was all for passing out the eggs to everyone and wishing them a 'Happy first day of sprin' :). It was awesome!

All in all, we had a great weekend! Presents were great. Going over to a BBQ was great! It was all a wonderful time with friends and family!

Until next time!

Saturday, March 12, 2011

March - Corned Beef and Cabbage

March is my birthday month, but 6 years ago my daughter decided to join and share it with me which makes my birthday month all that more special to me. Even though our birthdays aren't until the 2nd half of the month, I feel like I've been going, going, going non stop already. I have started planning out her birthday party, which this year she has decided she wants a Tangled theme. She loved that movie so much. Most invites have gone out already. Only invites left to go out are to her little friends at school. Now that she's in kindergarten I'm sure I'm going to end up with a huge kid party instead of the few kids and mostly adults and family members. I've already picked her up a couple of things. She is totally a girly girl and loves anything like that. So, I have gotten her a couple of outfits already. Also some hair thingies and nail polish. I know she is going to be in heaven!

Haven't tried any new recipes lately. Been cooking the same ole things, or doing a couple of the new ones that I have learned in the past couple months. Today I was given the request of corned beef and cabbage. Haven't made this in a long time. But, it's a good one, especially this time of year. Right around St. Patricks day is when the Irish in everyone comes out a little. So, I have 2 small Corned Beefs in the crock pot with a box of beef stock, baby carrots, and the celery that I had in the fridge. Along with the little seasoning packets that came with the Corned Beef. Then I filled the rest up with water after I got everything in there. Just going to let it cook nice and slow. We have some shopping to do today, so I am going to pick up a head of cabbage and cut it up and throw it in there when we get back home. It's going to be yummy. Also, instead of throwing in some potatoes into the crock pot like I normally do, I bought some sweet potatoes yesterday while I was out doing my grocery shopping. I'm going to make the Onion Soup Sweet Potatoes that Candy taught me. Oh, how I love those and they are so so so easy!!!

3 Nice size sweet Potatoes cut up into bite sizes
Throw them into a large zip loc baggy
Add 2 packets of Onion Soup mix
Sprinkle some oil into the bag, just enough to coat the potatoes
But onto cookie sheet and bake at 350 until golden brown and tender

These are so yummy and the kids love them too!

So, this is what today brings for us. Ellie has a birthday party she is going to today for one of her class mates. They are having it at the Kangaroo Bounce house. While she is there, Chris, the 3 boys and I are going to do some birthday present shopping for her. Then I think Chris is going to take the 3 boys birthday shopping for me too. So, we should all have a fun fun fun day!

Until next time!

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Meatloaf my way!

So, I have been asked twice for a good meatloaf recipe. I have my mom's old fasion meatloaf, that I grew up on and I absolutly love it! Last year, I had a pampered chef party and we made this meatloaf recipe called South of the Border meatloaf, which was fantastic too!! So, with me and my experimenting of foods, I kind of combined the 2 of them together, and came up with a meatloaf that all 4 of the kids eat up and want more of!! So, Jessica and Kristina... here you go!!!

Now remember, I cook for 6 people most of the time, and also have to make sure that there is enough left over for Chris to take for lunch the next day. So, it may seem like a lot, but in my house it goes quick!!

3 lbs of ground beef
1 chopped finely onion
1 chopped finely green bell pepper
1/4 cup taco seasoning
a few sprinkles of Italian seasoning
2 eggs
1 sleeve of saltine crackers smashed good (kids love doing this)
1 cup of shedded chedder cheese
nice genorous pinch of salt

I mix this all with my hands till its all nice and combined together. I now use the Pampered Chef deep dish baker, but before I got that, I used just a 9x13 casserole dish. Now, here's another little one of my tricks.. If I'm in a huge hurry and have sports going on at night, I can throw the deep dish baker (covered) into the microwave and cook this for about 20-25 minutes. It still comes out juicy and fabulous!! I never cooked it inthe microwave in a casserole dish though. It went in the over for about an 1 - 1 1/2 hours at 350. It all depends on how your oven cooks. I start checking temps at 1 hour. Comes out juicy and awesome this way too. Now either way, when it's done cooking, I take a little more sheredded cheddar and place it on the top of the loaf, and cover for about 5 minutes (just enough for it to melt). Cut and serve.

Of course the kids love it with catchup, but this is a great meatloaf, that looks and acts like meatloaf, but it has more of a wow flavor then the old fashion style meatloaf, mom used to make.

Hope you enjoy!!