Pee Pee In The Potty

This is the sheet Madden brings home from school everyday. Look closely at what is written at the bottom....

Pee-pee in the potty TWICE today! This was the first day EVER, so I thought it was worth documenting. Woo Hoo!

Colder Weather = SOUP for dinner!

My MOPS group compiled a cookbook recently and I have been trying some new recipes. With the colder temps, we have enjoyed lots of soup!

Italian Meatball Soup
1 (14oz) can beef broth
1 (14 1/2 oz) can diced tomatoes - Italian style
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 t. Italian seasoning
8 oz. frozen meatballs (about 12 or more if you want!) I just put the whole bag in...
1/2 cup small pasta (elbow, orzo, etc)
1 cup loose pack, frozen mixed veggies


Throw everything in the crockpot for the day! Come home....delicious! Serve in bowls with sprinkled parmesan or mozzarella cheese on top!

Taco Soup
1 lb. ground sirloin with onion and drained
1/2-1 c. water
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 pkg. Ranch dip (dry in package)
2 cans golden hominy
2 cans pinto beans
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can Rotel

Put it all in a pot. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes on low. Serve over tortilla chips. Top with grated cheddar cheese.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
1 lb. (uncooked) chicken breasts, cup into bite sized pieces
1 (10oz) package of frozen corn
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, pressed
2 (14oz) cans chicken broth
1 (10 3/4 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (10oz) can diced tomatoes
3/4 tsp salt
2 t. cumin
1 t. chili powder
1/8 t. red pepper
1/8 t. black pepper
1 bay leaf

Combine the first 13 ingredients in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 6 hours. Remove bay leaf. Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top. Serve with tortilla chips.

ENJOY!!

Closet Makeover.....stay tuned....

The Crafting Bug has hit me suddenly.....I am finding all sorts of things I want to make....and so I decided I need a place where I can create. I wanted a place that I could leave things spread out all the time and not feel like I have to clean up while in the middle of a project. After some thinking, I decided this closet would be a perfect place! It is filled with clothes that don't fit and misc items that can easily be stored in the attic. I've got some work to do, but I hope to show off my closet/crafting room makeover soon! Stay tuned!

Like Father, Like Son

Madden got his own laptop for Christmas from Honey. He is still learning how it works, but he does know the proper position to be in for viewing. He insists that we put it on the bed and let him lay on his stomach on a pillow.....just like dad.

Winter Finally Arrived!

We have been waiting all winter for it to actually FEEL like Winter around here....and it FINALLY arrived! Cold temperatures and SNOW!

It was so beautiful as it fell and we ended up with about 3 inches, I think. After naptime, we took Madden outside to check it out. Last year, he did not like it - so we were pleasantly surprised by how much he enjoyed it this year.

Getting ready to walk on it....

Touching it...

http://vimeo.com/19131031

Hope we get some more before Spring!

The Week After Christmas....

The days after Christmas were WONDERFUL! A welcomed break for all! We enjoyed having friends over for dinner a couple of nights, watching movies, playing with the new toys, watching LOTS of football (is it over yet?), shopping and checking out some fun things in our city.

We met the Conleys at Northpark Mall and took the boys to see the trains. We had never been, so I had no idea what to expect. It was crowded and hard to move around, but it was really neat. Madden really enjoyed seeing the trains, but didn't understand why he couldn't play with them like at home.






We ran into the Pearsons there!

Reaching down to touch something.....

.....and sad because he got in trouble....

State Fair of Texas

The boys last about 30 minutes in there and then we headed to eat lunch. After wrestling 3 boys ages 3 and under, Jenny and I decided next time we should get together for a girls only lunch! :)

New Years Eve was spent with our friends, Brad and Laura. Neither of us had plans, so they came over and we played games. Marc smoked a brisket that was phenomenal (even if he did stay up all night tending to it!) It was fun! Actually, our game was so intense, that none of us realized it was midnight. Then, Marc said, "Hey - aren't we supposed to kiss or something?!" So, we paused the TV during the countdown, got our champagne toast ready and welcomed 2011.

Goodbye 2010, Hello 2011!