just pictures

We've been so busy that I've forgot to post these cute pictures of all our activities.
Here we go.

Now I know why Kate Gosselin freaks out when her kids get within 30 yards of a mess.
It's alot to clean up and we've had several days like this.

Family ice cream night in our jammies.

Lunch with friends

Lily's new pool.

My friend Stephanie came to visit with her kids, Luke and Audrey.

Luke and Eloise had fun chasing each other around the yard with squirt guns.


They enjoyed filling them too.



Just for laughs. Lily, mid-meltdown, and I still have a smile on my face.
(and my tongue sticking out?!?)

pb knock off

I loved this.

so I made this.

I went to Michael's and bought 3 8x10 white canvas's. Then I bought 3 colors of paint, mod podge, and some scrapbook paper to cut out the flowers. I painted first, arranged the paper flowers and mod podged. That's it.

Instead of spending $90, I spent $16

Check out the other's here.

Confession #2

I bought this. And I LOVE it!

Okay, I know it's an extravagant purchase but guess what? I got it for $88 dollars!!!!





Here's how:
Originally priced: $579.00 (I know, so expensive. Pick those jaws up off the floor, there's more.)
30% discount online
total online: $428.00 (with free shipping)

So to make this dollar amount a little less of a blow to our checking account, I frantically did this:
Sold existing double jogger: $125 (bought for $75 off craigslist)
Sold baby backpack: $65 (bought for $50, CL)
Sold Double stroller $150 ( LOVE this stroller, good one if you want a mall one, highly recommend)

After all said and done, Bob Revolution Duallie - $88!

I'm going to give myself a big pat on the back for that one.

Chef Secrets

As some of you know, I'm a personal chef. I don't really think of myself as one, but I guess that's what I get paid to do.

I've never had culinary training, but I've had, and continue to have, hands-on training. I'm never afraid to try new things and I'm always looking for new resources.

I am often asked if I have favorite recipes and if so, could I e-mail them. Well, instead of that, I'll post a favorite here every now and then so that I can reference it whenever asked.

Before the recipe, you must know that I have a strong dislike of cookbooks. It's not that I don't see value in them, but I often find that the recipes have been created by a few chefs and not widely sampled. Therefore, I have found magazine publications to be my favorite place to find new and, 90% of the time, fantastic recipes that are VERY good. My all-time #1 that I use is, Taste of Home's Healthy Cooking (formerly Light and Tasty). I have yet to try an awful recipe. There have been a few so-so, but for the most part, there has been nothing but goodness.

With that said, here is my favorite of the last few weeks.

From Healthy Cooking, April/May 2008, pg. 33

Mexican-Inspired Turkey Burgers
1/4 cup salsa
1/4 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
3 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 lb extra lean ground turkey
4 hamburger buns (I think this makes about 8 small, 6 medium, 4 very large)

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except turkey. Mix well, then add turkey and combine well. Form into patties and either grill covered over medium heat or broil 4 in. from the heat for 5-7 minutes on each side or until meat thermometer reads 165 and juices run clear. You can also add lettuce, tomato, and if you have 1/4 cup salsa and 1/4 sour cream you can mix and add as spread.

Side Dish (same publication and page)

Oven Fries
4 medium potatoes (I like Yukon Golds)
1 T Olive oil
2 1/2 tsp paprika
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp garlic powder

cut potato into wedges. in large bowl combine oil and spices and toss with potatoes. Transfer to baking sheet 10x15 coated with cooking spray and bake at 400 for 40-45 minutes, turning once.

I know the above recipes are good b/c my kids eat them! That's a successful recipe in my book.


If you love to cook, and love to cook healthy, this is a must for you to cook with. Enjoy

hope this makes you all feel better

I hope I'm not the only one with days like this.

That's my 6 loads of laundry in need of folding. Don't worry, Lily has a diaper on. She is hyper-focusing on Baby Einstein.

moments

Do you ever have those moments when you wish you had a personal photographer to capture all those cute moments with your family?

Today, I did.

Without thinking, I dressed myself and the girls in bold flower print dresses and white sweaters. I'm not kidding when I did this on accident. I'm not into matchy, matchy. Thankfully, no one noticed.

We are teaching Eloise and Lily to hold hands and it is quite possibly the most tenderhearted thing I've ever seen.

We told them to hold hands, and with the other hand, hold mommy or daddy. We all walked out of church hand in hand. Eloise kept telling Lily that she couldn't let go yet b/c cars would squish her and Lily tried to steer the family into jumping puddles.

It was such a sweet moment that I wish could have been captured. I'll have it in my mind for a day when they are in their teens and don't want to be within 15 feet of each other.

can't think?

Moms of kids under 5:

Do you sometimes feel like you can't think? As if you know there is valid information in your brain roaming around, but you just can't manage to bring it up to the front of your brain to formulate a thought?

And then there is actually communicating those thoughts! Is it possible for you to have a conversation with another adult when your children are within 20 feet of you? And I'm not talking about them misbehaving near you, I'm just referring to their presence.

I have inability to focus, for more than 30 seconds, on any conversation, phone or in person, while my children are around. I simply cannot do it.

If we ever happen to be conversing and I'm looking at you, but you know my mind isn't there, I'm sorry. I love you dearly and deeply desire to focus on what you are saying. I think it's best we do coffee or e-mail. The phone? No that won't work either. Below is an example from tonight.

Calling Anglea:
me: Hey, how's it going?
A: good. What are you up to?
me: well.. (about to divulge the day)
A: Willy starts crying. Just give him the milk (talking to big Will)
me: do you need me to let you go?
A: no. Willy starts crying. yea, I'll call you back.

Angela calls back:
me: okay where were we. Oh, so my mom just left.
A: how was that?
me: great. (eloise crying in bed) Eloise is crying, I'll call you back in 2 minutes.
A: okay

I call back:
A: that was quick
me: She just needed her books. She likes to sleep with books now.
A: lovely. So it was good with your mom.
me: (explaining the time. about 2 sentences in.)
A: I'll call you back.


It's a good thing Angela and I are such good friends, b/c I think someone else might bail and look for a new friend.

The above conversation happens multiple times a day. Most of the time I don't even think we have alot to say, we just want to converse with an adult.

This is something I NEVER knew about the impact of kids before I had them. Why didn't anyone tell me this?