Thoughts for the week

A few things I have learned this week....

1-It is impossible to constantly look after three kids in a public place when you only have two eyes.

2- It is worth paying the $50 membership fee to get a Costco membership even if the nearest Costco is over 30 miles away. I LOVE that place.

3- Date nights are the best!! We need to do them more often (I hope Keith reads this.....)

4- I think I might be more excited about our upcoming Disney World trip than the kids. I can't believe that these kinds of things are even more fun when you are the parent - who woulda thought?

Look out Martha Stewart!

I had to put this picture on here to prove that I can be crafty sometimes (maybe just to prove it to myself???) I decided to make a diaper cake for a baby shower I had at my house today. Basically it is just a bunch of rolled up diapers that can be made into a cute centerpiece. I learned how to do it on YouTube. What did we do before the internet???

Also, I made a spinach-artichoke dip that got lots of recipe requests - I figure that is a good sign :) So here is the recipe, it's not too exact, but you get the idea. Yay for my sister-in-law Molly for giving it to me (I hope she doesn't mind me putting it on here.....)


Spinach Artichoke Dip

1 box frozen spinach
1 can artichoke hearts
1 block cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
monterey jack cheese (approx 2 cups)
parmesan cheese (approx 1-2 cups)

Cook spinach and then let cool. Cut artichoke hearts into small pieces (discard the leafy part.) Mix softened cream cheese, sour cream, and mayo together. Add artichoke and cooled cut up spinach. (****Important - don't add all the spinach, just enough to give it some color and flavor. You wouldn't want this to be too healthy!) Then mix in monterey jack cheese and parmesan cheese. Place in 9x13 pan and cook in oven until just starting to brown on top. Add more parmesan cheese on top if you want. This is yummy with tortilla chips.


Sorry I don't have a picture - it was all eaten up by the time I grabbed my camera!

Over the river and through the woods.....

We had a wonderful and much needed vacation to Utah and Idaho over Christmas and New Years. We celebrated Christmas at home, but then proceeded to have three more Christmas celebrations with with our families, with presents and everything. So yeah, we're pretty spoiled!

This is what my kids do lately when I pull out the camera. Needless to say I didn't get too many pictures of this trip!

If you're going bowling, this is seriously the best way to go. Cameron beat my score by using that thing, but that's not saying much.....

Connor bowling with my dad.

Ugh, I can't believe how big my baby is getting!

Cameron with his cousins, Garrett and Josh, and Aunt Sarah and Uncle Scott (who just returned from a mission to Ventura CA.)

Thanks everyone! We had a great visit!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas was so much fun. The light sabers were a hit, as well as the Coast Guard legos and superhero costumes (I got some on clearance after Halloween.) It's so crazy, the entire month of December is such a whirlwind and then all of a sudden it's over. Next adventure - trip to Utah/Idaho!!

That is the scariest Incredible Hulk I've ever seen!

Kate has really been into babies lately - kissing and hugging and cuddling her little dolls. I love it!

Gingerbread houses and more

My favorite is the gingerbread skyscraper (requested by Cameron.) Luckily I am married to an engineer who can pull those kinds of things off.

The reason we are not sending out Christmas cards this year...

Kate had apparently decided NOT to cooperate with me on this one :)
That's ok, there's always next year....

This is the life...

This is what we do on snowy cold days. Who knows what the day will hold - maybe we'll read a book, watch some tv, play Wii. Maybe winter isn't so bad after all.

On a side note, notice Kate with the two fingers in her mouth and holding onto my hair with her other hand. She does this ALL THE TIME. Should I be concerned?