Broken Monitor

I am so sad to say that my computer monitor is broken. I turned it on this morning to see what Friend Making Monday was all about, and it was on for all of 5 minutes and then off it went. Poof...BROKEN...I am so sad and having serious withdrawl. Hopefully I will get it replaced really quickly. For now I will be blogging from my cell phone, or Gary's laptop at nights.

Good Friends Good Times

We are home from a fun weekend in Waco. We saw lots of great friends and did lots of fun things. I enjoyed some MUCH needed girl time at Ninfa's Friday night, and Gary enjoyed a fun golf outing on Saturday.

Shelby and I took our kids to the Mayborn Museum . I have to say it was AMAZING!

The kids had so much fun and I did too :))

Saturday night we got a sitter for all 88 kids (ha!) and had a fun ADULT outing at Ninfa's. (Mexican food) I love Ninfa's in Waco. It is delish!! They knew me by name when we lived in Waco. Two nights of yummy food is fine by me:)

Here are a few pics from the museum.

I am so excited about my 1st ever collage! I am using some of your advise about my pictures and created this in about two seconds using Picasa! I'm in love! So much fun for me ;)

He was doing some serious sleeping

I love sleepy faces.

Layla and Hayden always have the silliest sleepy faces in the mornings.

These pics are proof of just how silly!

Sheet marks are the best. Layla had them on the right side of her body one morning. She was freaking out. She couldn't figure out what was wrong with her skin. That morning started with a discussion about sheet marks. Ha! Breakfast conversations with a 4 year old. Fun Times ;)

Happy Friday!!

I love cakes

Crab, salmon, lobster and tuna cakes. I love fish. Salmon is my favorite. I am a huge fish person and we are branching out on the grill to try to eat more fish. Gary and I are somewhat intimidated about how to cook fish on the grill.

One of our new cooking goals is to try more yummy fish recipes. I already have one in mind that I can't wait to prepare. It has pan fried salmon with hash brown potatoes stuck to it. OMG...my mouth is watering thinking of it. Hopefully I will post it soon.

Today I am posting the Salmon cakes recipe that we have been eating once a week for about two months now. We are addicted and the best part is that the kiddos like it too. Yesterday at lunch Layla asked "What's for dinner?" and when I told her Salmon cakes...she did the happy dance...that's my girl...always anticipating the next meal ;)


Salmon Cakes

What you need:

1 can of Pink Salmon
2 cups of bread crumbs
1 medium onion finely chopped
1/4 cup of milk
2 eggs
2 Tbs of chopped parsley
1 Tbs lemon juice
salt and pepper
Olive oil for pan frying

What you should do:

Drain salmon, reserving liquid. Combine all ingredients and shape into patties about 1/2 inch thick. Add liquid if necessary to help pack the patties. Warm oil to hot and then reduce to medium heat. Pan fry until golden brown.

This is our version of Salmon cakes, and our family of four will devour each and every cake.
I don't like these left over, so that is fine by me! We love to eat them while they are hot and crispy. You could use cookie cutters to cut the cakes into fun shapes before frying...the kids will go wild!

Screwdriver...check

Thanks for all your comments on my camera/computer dilemma.

Now if I could get you to help me fix this chair.

It seems that the kids think it is broken and needs some attention.

Dilemma

I take lots of pictures.



I have tons of pictures...



I love to take pictures, if you haven't noticed.



I got a handy dandy new camera and it takes really neat pics.



Once up on a time I could store a month of photos on one single CD. So I'd take pics, look at them and then store them on a disk. I like to keep my computer pic free and running fast. I don't know if my computer is slow because of the pics, or if it is just old and slow...ha! sounds like me. I don't want to bog my computer down, but lately I feel like I have. I can't put any of the pics on CDs. Why you ask? I don't have time...the new camera takes high res pics, and I can only get 3 or four pics on one disc. I'd be making CD's until next year and never be caught up.




What do I do? Some of you professional picture taking people PLEASE help me. Should I upload them to Shutterfly and let them store them for me? It seems like it takes forever for them to upload to Shutterfly. I guess I can just change the settings on my camera. All my pics probably don't have to be so high res. RIGHT?




What do you do? Any advise you have would be wonderful!

I don't want to miss any pics of this little face uh or back.

One of my two Little Tooter Pants

Cheezin' it up!

Shake your bootie!

Stopping to pose for a quick picture during a recent shopping trip to the mall.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oh how I love this little girl!

I was looking back through old posts from 2 years ago and am so happy that I started blogging. It is great way to keep family & friends up to date on the happenings of our family!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tomorrow we are going to the preschool to meet Layla's teacher for her last year of preschool! She will start kindergarten this time next year.

~Time has flown~

I cherish each and every moment I have with my 2 kids. I am always making up names for them and often I call them tooter pants! Silly I know ;)

It's BA--AACK!! Friend Makin' Monday

Our friend & founder of Friend Makin' Monday, Kasey is taking a blogging break.

So Amber is hosting FMM for a little while.

Today's task:

10 Things I Loved About This Summer

1. No Schedule

It has been so nice to fly by the seat of our pants! We have been going and doing tons of fun things with no worries or time constraints. Preschool is starting next week, and we will be getting to head to school before 9:00 am. The break has been nice, but I think we are ready for routine again!

2. Summer suntans

We all use sunscreen, but we have been in the sun so much. I love the little hue the kids have. Little sun baked bodies running around the house. Their little bums peaking out of their shorts reveal a little lighter color.

3. It gets Dark later

We love the long days.

4. The pool

Enough said...the pool rocks. No matter if it is the blow up whale pool in the backyard, a pool at Auntie's house, or our community pool. We love them all!

5. Hanging out with friends

I have several friends that are school teachers. It has been so great to hang with them. The school year is so busy and hectic, so getting to hang out with them is something we only do in the summertime!

6. Grilling

We grill pretty much year round here at our house, but the kids playing in the backyard while Gary is grilling is a huge plus!

We all play for hours only to come in hungry and devour yummy grilled treats.

7. White Wine

I usually prefer red wine, but this summer I found a new love for a chilled glass of white wine. I discovered a brand that tastes like butter. It is so nice and refreshing on a hot summer evening.

8. Taking pics w/ new camera

I got my new Canon Rebel and I love it! We have had so much fun snapping pics of the kiddos splishing and splashing in the water.

9. The kids birthday parties

Both LK and HC were born in July, so we have a huge birthday month!

We had a ball celebrating their birthdays.

10. Summer Fruits & Veggies

I will really miss the summer fruits that my kids LOVE! My personal favorites are strawberries and watermelon. I also really enjoy homegrown tomatoes. There is a produce stand really close to our house that we enjoyed buying yummy produce from all summer.

Join in the FMM fun by going here to sign up! What is your Top 10 Summer List?

Weekend Getaway

Sassy girls

Sassy girls' mommys!



The kids with their daddys
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We just got home from a fun weekend getaway! We packed up the kids and went to hang out with my high school friend Dana, her husband, Tim, and their beautiful daughter Hayli. Dana and I have been friends for ages. Our birthdays are 6 days apart. I'm pretty sure we knew each other at birth! We always have fun when we get together and this trip was no exception!

Hayli and Layla are very close in age and always have a ball playing together!

We had a fabulous time relaxing at their lake house. We played in the pool for hours. We watched deer roam the land. AND we ate the BEST beef tenderloin I have EVER had. Tim is a wonderful cook, and like Gary, he loves grilling. Their lake house is out in a secluded area and cell phone reception is horrible! We were very happy about that! I needed a break from reality, and it was amazing to VEG OUT!!

I am so happy to have such a great relationship with Dana, as I do many of my high school buddies. Seeing our girls play together warms my heart! Thank God for friends!

Do Do a Dollop

Jalapenos Done Right

Mix bacon crumbles, onion (finely chopped) and cheese in a bowl.

Cut off the tops of jalapenos and de-seed them.

Stuff with wonderful mixture and grill them!

This is what they looked like before we grilled them! Yummy~ness :)

*the oven will do a fine job of heating these as well*

Just a few tips:

Before we got the pepper griller we would slice jalapenos in half and top them with the cheesy bacon mixture. It works great and tastes good too!

And as stated in a previous post cut and de-seed peppers with caution :)

Payin' it Forward

Yesterday was a fun day for me!

I got mail...fun mail from Lauren at Snellings Stories.

Check out the Starbucks gift card, throw blanket and earrings. I love coffee AND earrings.

I recently did a makeover on the playroom/den, and this throw will be PERFECT for winter snuggles.

Lauren posted this and now it is my turn.

You too can get mail :) As moms we don't always treat ourselves as often as we should. That makes this so fun!! I can taste the white chocolate mocha right now. I think I will wear my new earrings and head out to Starbucks...weehoo :)

Now I get to pass on this contest to all of you!

Here are the rules...

1) Be one of the first THREE bloggers to comment on this post.

2) You then agree to share your snail mail address with ME (my email is in my profile) so I can send you a small gift handmade/purchased by ME!

3) When you receive your gift, you then blog about this game & link back to my blog in that post.

4) And most importantly, you ALSO AGREE to pay it forward and send a small gift to the 3 people who comment on your blog post

I know you like to get mail...fun mail :)

On your mark, Get set, Slurp!

I'm not sure I have EVER seen anyone drink a juice box as fast as this little man does.

He did stop for a breathe this time...usually he doesn't.

Tip of the day

WARNING:

Don't touch face or other body parts after assembling the jalapeno explosion seen above.

I'm just saying...I mean I already knew that...Derek and Gary.

BTW thanks Derek & Crystal for the pepper griller seen above...we love it ;)

Silly Boy Saturday

Loading up the truck

Hanging w/Chicken Dance Elmo

Hiding under the table!

Paula Dean approved...maybe!

This is one of my favorite comfort food dishes!
When I need a quick delicious meal this is ALWAYS the one I choose.



Chicken Spaghetti

Ingredients:

3 cups of chopped cooked chicken

1 can of cream of mushroom soup

1 can of Rotel

8 oz of Velveeta Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product, cut up

12 oz spaghetti pasta, cooked and drained

Shredded cheddar cheese for topping


Directions:

Boil pasta per package instructions. Drain. Add soup, Rotel, cooked chicken and Velveeta. Place on super low heat. Stir until Velveeta is all melted and gooey pour into an 11x13 baking dish. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Bake for about 20 minutes until cheddar cheese is melted. Enjoy!!

You could substitute Italian-style stewed tomatoes if Rotel is too spicy. You could also substitute cream of chicken or cream of celery soup if that is all you have in the pantry. There are so many ways to make this a yummy dinner. Our family of four can devour this meal with garlic bread in a few quick minutes.

Today is a much better day, thanks for all your encouraging words!!

TGIF :))

Happy Friday!! Go check out Heather's blog. She is doing a giveaway for her 1 year Blogaversary!!

She has an adorable family and a great heart, so go over and get some inspiration and a chance to win a fun prize.

Random Grouchiness

I have to say I have had an icky past couple of days! For some reason I am just bummed out. Summer is winding down, and I have to say I am ready. I am running out of things to do. Layla needs preschool again.

This morning I woke up to a straight line of ants marching around in my kitchen...eeiiwww...gross.

I was making lunch for the kids, and a ketchup bottle blew up ALL over my favorite gown. Yeah yeah, a gown at lunch. I should get out of that gown and throw some clothes on, but it was kind of a PJ day. WAS, but maybe that is part of the problem. We have just been hanging out here at home so much. The kids are fighting each other and me. Layla has a really sassy mouth lately. Arghhh!! Hayden followed me around the whole time I was vacuuming (ants) this morning crying. More teeth? Who knows. I am frustrated and done-zo with cranky kids and myself for that matter.

Maybe I should use the ketchup on the kids, but then I'd have to clean up the mess...teehee!

My poor husband came home last night to madness.

Wow, I already feel better letting it all out on my blog :)

Thanks blog buddies for letting me vent. Speaking of blog buddies...I have

20 followers! YAY!!

I am so pumped.

You guys rock!

You guys keep me going on the days like today when I'd rather stick my head in the oven!

and my sweet husband...I just got a pep-talk from him on the phone.

SO, this weekend we are doing something. We were going to visit some friends in a nearby city, but that fell through, so I am about to find us a FUN plan for the weekend to get us out and about. The circus is in town, but heck I live in a circus here...teehee!

Happy Thursday Y'all :)

And Happy Birthday to my Best Friend Jeannie!

Hot Wheels & Chalk

Layla's new favorite activity...she will play for hours.

She says, "jump in the pool, play with cars, jump in the pool, play with cars".

You get the idea...gotta keep cool in this Texas heat.

New favorite

I love The Food Network!

I usually have the TV on during the day and it is tuned to The Food Network. When I am doing chores, or changing Hayden's diapers or helping Layla with a craft I can glance up and see who is on and what is cooking. It gives me my daily dose of inspiration to cook, and I LOVE to cook. I also feel okay about it being 'G' rated. Layla really enjoys it, and has learned some things about food that I don't think she would have otherwise. On Saturday mornings I tune in just to see who is cooking, and Gary will watch it with me for a bit before we tune into whatever the sport of the day might happen to be.
My new favorite cook/hostess is Claire Robinson, and her show is called 5 Ingredient Fix. New episodes are on on Saturday mornings at 11:30 A.M. Central time. She had an amazing menu this past Saturday. Green Goddess Rice has to be the yummiest thing ever, and to pair it with Sea Scallops with Saffron Aioli ...this should be against the law. I am defiantly going keep these in mind as I plan my menu for next week. Gary LOVES scallops, and I never know how to cook them. Yay! I'm so excited. Silly to get so excited about cooking? I love it. It is something that Gary and I do together, and one of our goals is to own our own restaurant. Someday when the time is right :)

So...go check out these 5 ingredient recipes...they seem pretty simple for busy moms like us!! I will try some out, and post them in the future because I like to share like that!

Kick back & Relax

Oh my yummyness we are hanging out out in the country.

We normally go to relax and have fun times. We do fun things like...

Eat Cheetos

We usually jump in the pool to wash cheetos off our bodies.

Not so much usually, but someone claps (for the 1st time) for more smores (for the 1st time).

As you can see, I didn't have smores...not me!

You can't prove it...I didn't have even one tiny bite ;)

Bold & Spicy

Look what we are going to try this weekend on chicken! Yum :))

Can you believe it?

Dallas Cowboys BBQ sauce.

Awards...for little ole me??

I want to shout out a big Thank You to two amazing bloggers I have recently received awards from. I know...blogger awards...sweet. I am so humbled and honored for receiving these awards. Four in one week.

For my daily dose of laughter I go to visit The V Spot.

Thank you Vivienne for the Queen Award.

And I received three awards from my friend Chrissy at Bitter Sweet Moments.

Thank you ladies for the amazing awards. I truly enjoy reading your blogs everyday!

Thanks for the support you have given me. ..to all of my *followers...thanks also :)

{cheeks turning red} *followers are on my left sidebar..give 'em a click

The blog world is a fun place for me to go for support, ideas and new friends. For my IRL (in real life) friends, I know you may not understand when I talk about a blog buddy, since I haven't really met them in person and all. But that is okay! My blog friends know how I feel. So for all you non bloggers and bloggers go visit some of these blogs to 'meet' some of my friends!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Polka Dot Daisy

5 Silly Frogs

Outside My Kitchen Window

Step Inside

Snelling Stories

Stuff By Alli

What are we doing?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

These ladies are amazing writers...you'll be addicted in no time :)

Please Don't Make Me...

Sit in the princess seat.

Sand & Sun

I know what you are thinking. What in the world is this crazy creature that just took over Angie's blog?

It is MoonSand! Layla got it for her birthday and we finally decided to play with it. It is a messy activity, but OH so much fun. It would have been ALL over the house, it is sand after all. She was thrilled to be outdoors AND playing with a new craft. She is always asking for the next 'craft'. LK is always ready for the next fun task...we MUST keep the girl busy.

The sand sticks together without water. It is amazing. It comes in tons of colors and has fun tools similar to Play-Doh. I'm not sure who had more fun Layla or mommy