The crazy things kids do in the bath

Here is what I found Tyler doing in the bath. I was in our bedroom on the computer and I heard singing. I peeked around the corner to see what he was doing and he had his bucket on his head singing a song I had never heard before. After I took this picture he got all embarrassed and stopped and asked to get out. I felt kinda bad for interrupting his "play time" but I had to get a picture of this!

Another Adventure

Today Carter had his own little adventure! Carter has had this little skin tag. And today was his appointment with the ENT here in town to remove it. I was dreading this appointment for the longest time. They had us put the same numbing ointment on his ear that we put on Tyler's hands. Carter had no idea what was coming his way. The Dr. had us lay him down on a bed and he was just smiling away. Even when they gave him a shot of local anesthetic he didn't flinch. The doctor went along with the procedure to remove the skin tag and Carter was smiling through it all. Towards the end he got a little upset cause the nurse was holding his head and he didn't like that at all. But as soon as she let his head go...on came the smiles!

This is what his ear looked like before....

And after

Our Little Trooper

Tyler is such a trooper! Today Tyler got his tonsils out and did outstanding! He was so brave and tuff! What a kid! I was a dork and took a ton of pictures of our day. And what a day it was! We got to the hospital at 6:30 and didn't leave until 3:00 this afternoon. The medicine that they gave Tyler just knocked him right out!

Here is Tyler in his cute little gown! It was blue and Tyler was extremely excited to have "blue" on!

I thought it was really weird how Tyler was excited about today. But as soon as he got his gown on he didn't want to get in the bed. That was fun....
The hospital let him have a bear. This bear was with him the whole day today. Everything Tyler had done (IV etc.) the bear had done as well.

We finally got him in bed. Tyler wanted one of us to be on the bed with him and this just happened to be when it was my turn.

This is right after Tyler got his IV in. He did amazing! They had us put this numbing ointment on both of his hands right before we left for the hospital and so the little guy didn't feel a thing! He did so much better than me! I am such a baby when it comes to getting IV's!

This is Tyler right after they brought him back to the room after surgery. The first and only thing he said was, "I was tuff mom!" and then he went right back to sleep.

Jamie had to run to a class at 10am and while he was gone Carter went down for a nap and I laid him on the foot of Tyler's bed. So cute.

This was Tyler when he started to react to some of the medicine they gave him. I guess it's normal for kids to get all flushed in the face with one of the medications they give them.

Another sleeping shot.

Tyler finally woke up and we were trying to get him to eat and drink so they would let us go. This is Jamie feeding Tyler the last bit of the Popsicle that fell in the cup.

The face that Tyler has in this picture expresses exactly how he feels. Jamie and I thought that this was so funny but every time Tyler would get done eating or drinking something he would ask where his hat was...it's the surgical cap. He even wore it to Brouglim's.

When the doctor signed off and released us the nurse let Tyler choose if he wanted to ride in a wheelchair or a wagon...what would any kid choose?

I was so impressed on how Tyler did today. He is really drugged up at the moment and really entertaining. I just hope that he feels this good tomorrow.

Getting big....

Too fast! I took Carter to the doctor today for a sickly check-up. He was suppose to have his 4 month check-up last thursday but because we were planning on going to Washington over the weekend I moved it to next Tuesday. Carter has been really congested and this morning when I was getting him dressed I put my hand on his chest and it felt cracklely so I made an appointment for the little guy. The doctor said that he is okay he gave me a Rx for a decongestant and he'll check him next Tuesday to make sure that Carter has made good progress.

The reason for the post though is that Carter weighed 17 pounds 8 ounces! He weighs a hold 2 pounds more than Tyler did at his age! Crazy! I can't beleive how fast Carter is growing. It makes me sad. When Tyler was a baby I couldn't wait for him to get "big". But with Carter I am content with him the way he is and don't want him to grow. I know it sounds silly but, they grow up so fast!

A good reminder

"Never ask the question, did I marry the right one? Once you have been sealed, you have married the perfect one-not because that person is perfect but because you yourself are determined to be the perfect companion. Your spouse will be as perfect as you are or as perfect as you allow him/her to be and encourage him/her to be."

The best dinner ever

Thanks to my friend Amanda we got to have one of the BEST dinners! I cut the recipe in half and I am so glad that I did! It made so much food! These are the best egg rolls ever.

2 bags of colesaw
1/2 roll of sauage (raw)
1/2 onion diced (or more to taste)
2 eggs
2 tbl sugar
1 tbl soy sauce
2 tbl Hosin sauce
1 tbl oyster sauce
1 tsp of pepper
2 packages of egg roll wrappers

This is the full recipe. I cut all the ingredients in half and it was more than enough for our little family. Here's the directions:

You take all the ingredients and put them in a bowl mix 'em up with your hands. Right before you start putting the mixture in the roll wrappers put your veggie oil in your pan so when you are done making your rolls your oil is nice and hot.

They were SUPER easy and we liked to dip them in Plum sauce. Mmmm so good. Thanks Amanda!

Dessert

This is for you Mindy.

New York Style Cheese Cake

Crust:

11 whole chocolate graham crackers, broken into tiny pieces
4 Tbls. unsalted butter, melted
2 Tbls. granulated sugar

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the ingredients together. Transfer to a 10 inch spring form pan. Press into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes, then set on a wire rack and cool completely.

The cheesecake

5 8oz pkgs of cream cheese, softened
1 3/4 c. sugar
3 Tbls. all-purpose flour
1 Tbls. grated orange peel - if desired
1 Tbls. grated lemon peel - if desired
1/4 tsp. salt
5 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/4 c. heavy whipping cream
1 c. miniature chocolate chips - if desired

1. Make crust
2. Heat oven to 450
3. Beat cream cheese, sugar, flour, orange peel, lemon peel, and salt in a large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed about 1 minute or until smooth. Beat in eggs, egg yolks and 1/4c. whipping cream on low speed until well blended. Pour into crust.
4. Bake 15 minutes
5. Reduce oven temperature to 200 degrees. Bake 1 hour longer. Cheesecake may not appear to be done, but if a small center seems soft, it will become firm as cheesecake cools. Do not insert knife! Turn oven off; leave cheesecake in oven 30 minutes longer. Remove from oven and cool in pan away from drafts on wire rack 30 minutes.
6. Without releasing or removing side of pan, run metal spatula carefully along side of cheesecake to loosen. Refrigerate uncovered about 3 hours or until chilled.

Our Valentine's Night

My friend Daleen and I got together early January and started putting a "scavenger hunt" together for our hubbies. We had so much fun thinking of all the funny things we could make them do but I think we kept it quite conservative. This is a picture of the items that were in each of their envelopes and the supplies they could use to complete 2 of the tasks.
This is the list that we put together. You might need to click on it to enlarge the picture so you can read it.
This is what Brian and Jamie saw when they walked in.
Both Jamie and Brian were quite perplexed as to what to expect. When Brian got to our house I asked him if he was excited and he answered," I just hope that I wasn't suppose to buy Daleen anything, cause if I come home empty handed I don't know what will happen then." Then they started reading the list.
And even more confusion occurred.
While Jamie and Brian were completing their tasks Daleen and I were making dinner. We had steak, baked potatoes, broccoli, and a spinach summer salad. Everything was delish! This is what the table looked like before the boys got back to the house.
Brian and Jamie were suppose to find a centerpiece for our table and this is what they brought back. I must have forgotten to take a picture of when we put a battery powered candle in the center of the flowers. But we turned the lights off to eat with the one battery powered candle and it wasn't producing enough light.
So Daleen got out a bunch of random candles and we ate with all of them burning.
Awww. Daleen and Brian
There's me and Jamie
These were the items that Jamie got. Minus the bottle and nasty paper towel that you see. The red shirt and red shorts were his cupid outfit, but they never were put on. The flower, the red paper heart, the box of chocolates, and the poem with sweet-tarts. The only thing that they didn't find/do was to find two items that were in the shape of a heart.
This is what I made for dessert. It is a New York style cheese cake with mini chocolate chips inside. I love making cheese cakes, but this was my first one in close to 3 years!
And this was just a random item Jamie found at the DI. He knows that Minnesota is one of my favorite places in the world. So this is for all you Minnesotans out there!

Tyler's new favorite

For any of you that know Tyler, you know that he LOVES anything blue. We found these drinks at Wal-Mart and I think they are so nasty tasting but Tyler loves the drink. Mainly and only because it is blue. There is only one problem with this drink....

It turns his entire upper lip BLUE! It stays like that until he takes a bath at night and I have to scrub his upper lip with soap....but the next day what does he want to drink at lunch? The nasty blue stuff...crazy kid

A Beautiful Sight!

When I left to go to the gym today our road was somewhat clear of snow. And when I took Jamie lunch it was even better! I had to get a picture of this! We haven't seen the pavement since that horrible storm we got Christmas Eve!

A Sweet Treat

Tyler loves cookies, but what child doesn't? I was watching a ho-hum show on TV this afternoon and Tyler came to me and asked if we could make cookies. I don't know about any of you but I used to love cooking and baking with my mom and would absolutely love it if my children did too. Naturally I couldn't say no. Tyler is such a good helper with cookies. I think that he eats more cookie dough than cookies, but well I guess that's okay. We mixed up a batch of the traditional chocolate chip cookie. Tyler's favorite.

Carter chilled in his high-chair just watching us as we baked.

MMMMmmmm, the finished product.

A Great and Marvelous Work

"Behold, great and marvelous are the works of the Lord."
Jacob 4:8

We have been so blessed to be here in Rexburg in such exciting times. We were here for the ground breaking. It was so amazing! I had never been to a ground breaking ceremony before.

Today we had the utmost privilege to be a part of the Rexburg, Idaho Temple dedication. The last temple dedication that I was a part of was the Winter Quarters Temple. I remember that day very well. My mom got us out of school to go to the stake center and watch the dedication via Satellite. The spirit was so strong. It was equally strong today.

This day defiantly marked one of the best days that I have spent with my sweetheart. It was such a great experience to have with him.

This was a picture that I took this morning of the Temple. I wanted to remember the temple as it is today. I know that it's not going to change but I wanted to remember the beautiful blue skies and the whiteness of the snow fall. What a wonderful day it was today!

Here's one for you Stephanie Meyer FANS!

I was just browsing my favorite links and was checking to see if anything new was going on with the Twilight series and found THIS.

I am so excited!!!

Tag...I'm it

Sorry Ang! My cousin Angie tagged me probably a month ago and I am just now getting to it! Here we go!

A- Attached or single: Attached.
B- Best Friend: Jamie...my husband for sure
C-Cake or Pie: Cake baby! Chocolate of course!
D-Day of Choice: Saturday, Jamie normally is at home and we always have a great time together as a family!
E- Essential Item: Shampoo (who likes nasty hair?)
F- Favorite Color: It used to be orange but I don't really know what my favorite color is now.
G- Gummi Bears or Worms: Gummi bears...dipped in chocolate
H- Hometown: Olathe, Kansas baby! (Those that are from Olathe, everytime I think of my dear old hometown I think of that sunflower dodge guy...."come on down to sunflower dodge in OOOOlatheee!") Funny.
I- Indulgence(s): Oooo Clothes for sure
J- January or July: July...cause there's no freak'n snow then!
K-Kids: 2 beautiful boys
L-Life is incomplete without: family and the gosple
M- Marriage Date: May 25th, 2002
N- Number of Siblings: 2 sisters 1 brother and 6 brother-in-laws and 2 sister in-laws
O- Oranges or Apples: Apple but it has to be a granny smith
P- Phobias or Fears: heights, snakes, spiders, and mice
Q- Quote: "To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven."
R- Reason To Smile: I have a lot of reasons to smile but one mainly is that I will be with my family for eternity!
S- Season: Fall, I love the colors of the trees.
T- Tag Six: Quinci, Roy, Traci, Andrea, Erin, Samye
U- Unknown Fact About Me: Hmmmm, I can't think of anything...I am an open book I guess.
V- Vegetarian or Oppressor of Animal: Meat
W- Worst Habit: Not putting socks on with my shoes! I know it's gross
X- X-Rays or Ultrasounds: I have had both countless times! I would much prefer ultrasounds though!
Y- Your Favorite Food: Is food. I have been in a pasta and chicken kick lately.
Z- Zippers or Zebras: Zippers I guess

My new found love

Well sort of. I started going to the spinning class at the gym 2 weeks before I got my tonsils out and have been going ever since I have recovered. I don't enjoy the class at all. The only thing that keeps me coming back is the fact that I am burning TONS of calories. When I say tons I mean an ubseen amount. At the end of every class the teacher always asks those that have calorie counters to say how many calories were burned. Today, holy crap, I think my legs were going to fall off! We worked out really hard. When the teacher asked how many calories were burned the majority of those that had calorie counters burned over 1,000 calories! Can you believe that! That is the only thing that keeps me coming back! Just knowing that the sore bum is getting smaller puts a huge smile on my face!

YUM- -O

I was looking for some incredible recipes today and I stumbled upon this site. It's amazing what is on the internet...thank goodness for Google! I made this dish tonight and we LOVED it! It was super easy and fast. I would highly recommend it!

Parmesan Chicken

1 clove garlic, minced
1 stick unsalted butter (1/2 cup or 1/4 pound), melted

1 cup dried bread crumbs

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (or 2/3 cup if you are using a Microplane zester)
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
A large pinch of Italian seasoning (herb mix)
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 lbs of skinless, boneless, chicken meat, cut into pieces no larger than 2x2 inches

1 Preheat oven to 450°F.

2 In a bowl, combine the minced garlic with the melted butter. In another bowl mix together the bread crumbs, Parmesan, parsley, salt, garlic salt, Italian seasoning, and pepper. Dip chicken pieces into garlic butter, then into crumb mixture to coat.

3 Place coated chicken pieces on to a 9x13 baking dish. Try to leave a little room between each piece. Drizzle with remaining garlic butter and bake uncovered 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear. Note that the chicken will get much more browned on the bottom side than on the top.

Serves 4-6.

Carter is 4 MONTHS...

We have really enjoyed our new addition. He is so happy and smiley! He is starting to giggle and it just makes my day! Enjoy the pictures! We take Carter to the doctor next week for his 4 month check up and once that is over I will give you an update on his height and weight!