Home sweet home

We're Back!

As of late last night we are back home!
I am looking forward to getting back in routine and unpacking.. plus re-visiting our trip through pictures!

Speaking of, I will be posting pictures as soon as I can!

It's good to be back!

Leah's Fishing trip Part 2

More pics from Leah's first fishing trip with Daddy! Enjoy!

Fishing in the great outdoors

Enjoying fish house life

Leah's "chariot and four".. well, 2 anyway! ;)

Yay for getting a video of Leah catching fish! This way I could "be there" too! (Thanks Dad!)

Yummy Pasta!

I made this new recipe a couple weeks back, and I LOVED it! It was very different, but good! Kind of a Thai flair but Americanized. Hope you enjoy it!


Peanut Pasta

8 oz of your favorite pasta (I used organic fuscilli)
1/2 cup peanut butter (any type)
1/4 cup warm water
2 Tbsp soy sauce (I used Braggs Aminos)
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp Orange Juice concentrate
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper ( I used a bit more for extra spice)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup grated carrot


Start pasta cooking. Combine peanut butter, water, soy sauce, lemon juice, orange juice concentrate, pepper, garlic and ginger in a bowl. Blend well with wisk until smooth. About 1 minute before pasta is done cooking add peas to pasta water, cook for 1 minute, then drain in colander. Combine with sauce in bowl, mix well. Add carrots. Toss and serve hot or cold. :)

Me and my girls

Lounging around on the couch with the girls.. or being tackled, more like it!

Sweet!

Atlanta or BUST!

We're OFF!

At 7:01 this morning, our plane left to Atlanta, GA (via Minneapolis)

SO EXCITING! We're on our family vacation!

We will be returning April 24th, so watch for all my pictures then! Until then, I have scheduled some random posts to publish on my blog to keep you all entertained until we return! :)

Hope you all have a great week, I know we will be TRULY enjoying the 70 degree weather! YAY!

What Happened to Jesus, Mommy?

I got his cute question from my darling 3 year old Leah this week....

"What happened to Jesus, Mommy?"

She was looking at her bible picture book, the picture of Jesus dying on the cross. Then the next question..

"Are these Jesus's owies?"

Now she was looking at the picture of Jesus returning to his disciples, showing them his scars.

Then she looked at me and said...

"Jesus Loves Me!"

Yes, Jesus died for our sins, because he loved us that much. And it was a BIG owie for him, but a HUGE gift for us, one we can never repay.

Blessings on your Easter Weekend!

4 days and counting...

Well, we are officially less than 4 days away from our biggest family vacation yet! :) To say I am a little excited is a HUGE understatement! :) I've been crazy-busy finishing up all the last details plus organizing and packing everything!

Our family will be flying to Atlanta and spending time with Josh's family down there, (some of whom I have never met!) in the 70 degree weather!!!!! I am sooooooooo needing that lovely heat right about now! :) This will be the first time the girls have every flown, and it's been quite a while for me and Josh as well.. should be fun!

So.. needless to say I have been reading up on all kinds of things to take on planes to amuse small children! The obvious things (crayons, color books, stickers, snacks) and the never-go-without things, (kid-leash, bright colored clothing, stroller, tylenol) It has been fun!

I am packing each girl a little "backpack" of goodies for them to carry and have their own stuff on the plane. Leah's special toys include a new MP3 player of her very own, a Sansa Shaker, which is very kid-proof and usuable, plus only $19! I am sure this will be a lifesaver, as she LOVES listening to my iPod. :) I loaded all kinds of fun kid songs on it!
Also I discovered the coolest new thing, the Aquadoodle. It is amazing for trips! Its like a Magna doodle except it is canvas-like and uses a water-filled pen that writes then dries! Very cool.
Bekah's backpack is more simple, just a lot of toys and snacks.. she is only one year old! ;)

We are looking forward to our trip, and can't wait. :) Especially to see our family and spend time in GA with them. :) Any last advice? Back to work I go.. it takes a lot of planning to get a family of 4 in the air!!! :)

Planning away!

Ever feel like you do so much planning you "plan your weeks away?" :)

I have felt like that this past couple weeks, there is just so much stuff going on that requires planning this year! But all of it is such FUN stuff that it is exciting to plan and work towards it! Here is my last couple projects..


~ We leave for vacation to GA in ONE week!! I am so excited!!! I have the majority of my extra (kid) stuff bought and started packing this week. ;) Should be fun! (more on that later)

~ I am helping to plan a bridal shower for my soon-to-be sister in law, Savannah! I am so excited getting the invites all filled out and the shower day/food/games planned.. very fun!

~ I am helping my sister Anna make her invites for her graduation this May, she gets her BACHELORS in Nursing! Yay!!

~ I am helping my mom in law with anything she needs for Hannah's graduation in May as well.. just a few weeks before her wedding, it will be crazy!

~ I am helping plan extra stuff for my sister-in-laws weddings as well.. both in June, 2 weeks apart! I like planning and wedding stuff is just so much fun! Things like making hair apts, decorating reception halls, helping to make some of the food, it is great! Plus I love being an extra help to my mom in law..

Whew! When I write that all down it seems like a lot, but it is very fun and I LOVE planning/organzing.. weird I know. :)

What have your weeks been looking like?

Walking!

Thanks to Uncle James & Auntie Savannah for this fun push-car toy for Bekah on her birthday.. it has really jump-started her walking ability!!! :) She is LOVING it! She goes everywhere in her little car! Plus, tonight alone she took 5 steps unaided! WOW! What a fast learner! We are so proud of our big girl! Thanks guys.. what a great gift! :)

Fishing with Dad!

Leah went on her first fishing trip this last Sunday afternoon with Dad.. she was soooo happy to be going!!! She has had her own Princess fishing pole for a few weeks now and has been practicing casting and reeling in the living room. (she is really good!) She could hardly wait to actually get to go fishing for real!

Josh had intended only to stay out for a few hours, thinking she would tire and grow crabby, but they stayed out for 6 hours!!! Leah had the best time catching her first fish, and then some! Josh said she was a pro, catching some real BIG fish! She loved her special time with Dad, and I liked having her out of the house for a day to get things done.. hehe ;)

Enjoy!

Dad & Leah head off!

Trying her luck..

Yay! First fish!

YES she was a pro!

LOVING her treats; pop and chips!

All tuckered out after a long day of fishing

Updates on Sleepless

Well, we decided to take initiative on our "Sleepless" girl!

Over the weekend, we switched the girl's beds so now Leah is in our room with us and Rebekah has the extra bedroom. So then Rebekah could cry it out without disturbing everyone. The room switch proved to be a great decision although it took a while to see. :)

The first night was HORRIBLE. I had to go in every 2 hours to sooth poor Bekah in her new room, but I stuck to my guns and did not nurse her to put her back to sleep. I just comforted her for a while, then lay her back down. Usually she'd cry then eventually go back to sleep.

The next night was much easier, but she still got up about 4x.. but I put a sippy cup of water in there for her to drink if she got up, and that really helped. She lay down a lot easier after being comforted and cried a lot less.

Then, my mom gave me a breakthrough idea. Maybe she is just hungry when she wakes up! So, that night (Mon) I fed her a HUGE bowl of oatmeal right before she went to bed, then lay her down as usual. That night she only got up ONCE! And went back down right away after I comforted her for a bit! YAY!

So, every night now she gets a bowl of oatmeal to fill her up and so far it has seemed to work. I also gave her a pacifier, but she doesn't really suck on them, she just leaves it in her mouth. In any case, it seems to help too. :)

Thanks for all the great ideas, and hopefully soon we will have a fully-fledged, sleeping through the night baby girl! Yay!!!!

Leah's 3yr Photo Shoot!

Yesterday, in spite of the snow, we went in to town for Leah's 3 yr old Picture Apt! It was my last trip to Sears, and it was well worth it! Leah's pics turned out amazing! It took more time to undress her from all her winter stuff, dress her in her picture outfit and fix her hair then it did to take all the pictures! Great photographer! :) Enjoy!

Our favorite pose.. so sweet!

Really cute B/W shot!