Life as we live it

And the newest member of our family. Tootsie. Isn't she cute?

My 2 year old

Happy Birthday Jack! We love you so much and are so grateful for you in our lives. You bring us so much happiness. I can't believe you're already 2, you talk so well and give the best hugs and kisses. We never get sick of your big eyes and sweet smile. Love you Jack!

Summer fun in Idaho

We headed to the hot springs the other day, good times it was :)

  

I know i know, i never blog

Well, here i am, Hello! My excuse for not bloging? Well i haven't had the internet....but we've had it now for over a week so truly, i'm just a slacker. I'm not going to try to catch up either, the thought of that is too daunting, so, i'm just going to blog a seriously AMAZING recipe :) Here goes, its from Just Cook Already and really, you gotta try it. Its like a yummy Thai Coconut Curry

Chicken and Vegetable Curry

1 1/2 can coconut milk (I went ahead and used the whole 2 cans, it worked and it was still yummy)

1/2 can of water (use the coconut milk can)

1 whole red pepper, sliced thin

2 carrots, sliced thin

1 tsp. ginger

3 tsp. minced garlic (about 3 cloves)

3 tbsp. yellow curry powder

2 chicken breasts

2 tbsp. coconut oil

kosher salt (to taste)

1/2 onion, sliced thin

1 sweet potato (or 1/2 if it's large), peeled and sliced (i just used regular, they worked)

1/2 can baby corn (i just used frozen, put it in when it was all about done)

1 lime

2 cups spinach (fresh)

Directions

In a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat, add the coconut oil (if you don't have any, use canola oil).  While the oil heats up, cut your chicken into length-wise slices, about 3/4 inch thick.  Then cut those slices in half.  Season with kosher salt to your liking, then add the chicken to the hot skillet.  Flip the chicken once and continue to stir until cooked through. Set aside.

In a LARGE skillet (you'll need some room) over medium-high heat, add the coconut milk and 1/2 can of water.  Stir with a whisk.  Add the curry powder, ginger, garlic, and a pinch of kosher salt.  Completely mix together with a whisk.  While that heats up a bit, cut your vegetables (or make your life easier and cut them before you start cooking anything). As the coconut milk starts to boil, add all of the vegetables (red pepper, carrots, onion, sweet potato, baby corn) except the spinach.  Lower the heat to medium-low and cover with foil.  Cook for about 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.  Add the chicken and spinach and cook for about 5 more minutes. Give it a taste and add more salt if needed.

Serve over rice (if you want... I like it just the way it is), and squeeze fresh lime juice over top.

Hmmmm, just seeing that recipe again makes my mouth water. I think i'll make it again tomorrow... seriously, go try it:)

I guess i might as well end with some updated pic's of the cutest kids in the whole world :)

I love my life

Changes

Well, i know it's been a while. A lot has changed.
We moved to IDAHO. I'm sure this is old news to most of you but i figured i'd better update anyway. We moved 2 weeks ago today to a beautiful ranch in Idaho, same ranch as Natalie and William, John's working and we're just enjoying life. We really do love it here, Jack loves to ride the horses, motorcycles, and fourwheelers. And i just love the fact that i get to see my husband throughout the day. Its been great really. I've taken so many pictures but we don't have the internet so i haven't yet been able to post them. We also don't have a phone
line so if you want to talk to us, the best way to contact is via texting to my phone :) John doesn't have his anymore.

Natalie and I just returned from a trip back home and it was a lot of fun. We went to movies, pageant, to lunch with friends and family, went swimming and just enjoyed spending time with family. It was a blast but its nice to be home again. Thanks for the fun everyone! And if you want to come visit us, we've got a spare bed just for you :)

The taste of soap

Why i thought this would work is beyond me...

Here's the story. Jack has a thing for eating dog food. Grosses me out. I can't stand it. Today when i caught him eating dog food again, i got really mad and took him inside and i washed his mouth out with soap, ya know, to get that nasty stuff out, and to teach him a lesson....i forget that this little boy, for fun, eats soap, lotion, cough drops, vicks....i think he quite enjoyed it. 10 minutes later he was at it again. The funny thing? I tasted the soap before because i wanted to make sure it was bad...it was. Ever since i've had a slight taste of it lingering.

Note to self: Soap is gross, son is weird. This form of punishment just isn't meant for us.

P.S. Yes, John got his ranch dog to move to Idaho with us, she's a sweetheart, but i'm very much looking forward to John being around to take care of her. I feel like i went from having 2-3 over night. I guess i kind of did... i guess i sort of prefer the 9 months of getting used to a new addition :)

Nellie pictures

About a month ago we finally got around to taking Nellie's newborn pictures, we tried to get them right away but never could. I'm so happy we finally did and i LOVE these pictures! Jacki Stoddard did a great job (Live Out Loud link to the right) Thanks so much Jacki! We LOVE them!

Mowing

This is from the first time i mowed the lawn, Jack was very scared of the lawn mower and just wanted me to hold him, after a few minutes of trying to mow one-handed i stuck him in Nellie's snugly :) It worked good but this picture makes me see how HUGE he is

Idaho- New baby

Well this is old news by now but we headed to Idaho a few weeks back to see my brand new nephew Thomas. It was so fun to see him and to be with my sister's little family. They live in such a cool little valley and Jack had so much fun playing outside and riding Patches. Get ready for a picture overload!

Thanks Natalie and William!

He did it!

Finally, the day we've been waiting and working for, John graduated with his Bachelor's from Utah State University May 7, 2011!! It was a great weekend with family and friends we hadn't seen in too long that live in Logan. I was feeling sick and didn't make it to the morning speaker thing but the afternoon session where the graduates walked and got their diplomas i made it and it was really, really good. So neat to watch John accomplish something that he's been working so hard for for so long. John really is amazing, he went to school full time (did well) and worked full time to provide for our family and allow me to stay home with our kids. Its been a long few years but its been good and i'm so proud of John. Really, couldn't help but get a little teary watching him sit down there with all those graduates.

Way to go babe!

A quarter of a Century....

 May 2, 2011- John turns 25! Holy cow, a quarter of a century!!! Really?! How did we get so old (wink, wink, joking). We had a great day on John's birthday and we celebrated for days, it was fun. John had to work on his birthday so we headed to the zoo first thing in the morning, to lunch and then John went to work. When he got back Kristen watched the kids while John and I went rock climbing and to chili's for molten. It was great and so much fun.

I love John so much and am so grateful for all he does for our family, he is such a good husband and an incredible father. Jack wants to be just like his daddy. Lately they've been working on the truck together and Jack loves to get dad his "tools". So cute. Thanks everybody who helped John's birthday to be special!

(This was taken just after John found out he was getting WaffleCrisp for breakfast, he's not hard to please)

Nellie, 3 months old

Its hard to believe our sweet angel is 3 months old.

She's smiling all the time, sits in bumbo pretty well, loves interaction, wearing 6-9 mo clothes, growing blonde hair underneath all that dark, loves sucking her hands and holding other peoples fingers, doesn't sleep through the night (bummer) but is so so fun.

We love our Nellie girl