Tom and Julie's Wedding

This was an EVENTFUL trip! I found $29 one way tickets that I snatched up to fly up to Napa with the girls. The hour flight went great and seemed well worth it, all except the can of orange juice that Noelle dumped in my lap right after take off. I sat in sopping wet shorts all flight and then looked like I peed my pants upon arrival - but nowadays that's minor. I barely noticed.

I did have to reflect that this seems to be par for the course as one of my first flights with Noelle her diaper leaked and left me in the same position, well, a little worse. Another flight early on, I went to the bathroom before the flight, with Noelle in a carrier on my chest and realized that I had dunked the back straps in the toilet. A little scared for our trek to Hawaii coming up. We have to fly to Portland and then to Maui - YIKES!

Anways, we arrived happy and healthy, or so we thought. Natalie and I both started throwing up in the middle of the night! Which is definitely miserable but the worst part was thinking that I was staying at the bride and grooms house and the wedding was 2 days away. The thought of Julie getting sick on her wedding day was more than I could handle.

So, for sake of time, I will wrap up the rest. We checked into a hotel, recovered and headed out to the ranch to enjoy the festivities. There were a few moderate ups and downs along the weekend and thankfully no one else got sick BUT the downpoint for me was Noelle's tantrum in the middle of the wedding vows that forced Ryan to remove her from the ceremony. Unfortunately we were staying 15 yards from the location and everybody had to witness her being hauled away up the gravel and behind the closed door where you could still hear screaming. One of those things that you knew didn't mean the end of the world but for all the red smoke coming from my ears I was not sure i could go on. She eventually turned it around and ate some food we should have given her hours before. I still had the shakes for some time.

And after a 7 hour drive home, that had to be continued the following morning because at 10:30pm are girls had not yet fallen asleep, I was so thankful to be home!!!! Thankfully, time wipes away the tough parts and leaves some really precious memories that this wedding beautifully created!

Wine Tour on Friday at Benziger Winery.
Fun to meet so many of the family and dear friends.
Julie and her two sisters, Joan and Karen

Rehearsal Dinner

Ryan's Grandpa Bill - the girls called him Pops. Turns out he was also in a similar field of work as Ryan and a great athlete. We had a great time hearing his stories.

Ryan's cousin and our two new brother-in-laws Justin and Nate

Julie's dear friends meeting her sister.

Me and my girl.

Cousin Meggie and Pops

Julie, my sister-in-law Aly and baby Capri, Tom's sister and Julie's friend

Serene setting where the ceremony took place and where Noelle lost it.

Relais du Soleil

Tom's grandkids - my girls' new cousins - Bryce and Faith

Noelle asking Great Grandpa questions about life and death while I tried to put Natalie down for a nap. He said she had him sweatin'. I heard them out there talking although I couldn't quite make out what they were saying. She had some tough questions after finding out that Great Grandma had died. There little bonding time was precious.

Dad's Favorite Things

Well, it looks like Noelle still has a lot to learn about her dad.

This was part of Noelle's things that she made for Father's Day at preschool. The teacher asks them and writes their response.

Beautiful

A man spoke to our mom's group months ago. He got onto the subject of what our young girls come up against as teenagers. We all know that it's not pretty. The teenage years can leave us with some deep scars or some unhealthy ways of thinking or acting.

He began to say something about how we want our daughters to believe that they are beautiful, in a truer sense of the word. He was leading up to how we might inspire that in them. My mind began to jump ahead as to what his suggestion might be. What would you think?

He suprised me by saying, to tell them everyday that they are beautiful as they grow. From teeny tiny, to tell them that they are beautiful.

It wasn't what I was expecting. That sounded a little off. I kept thinking about it. I tell my daughters they look beautiful often. It usually involves a fancy dress or princess dress up clothes. That's really not how I want it to match up though.

I began thinking about what it would look like to tell them all of the time that they were beautiful, regardless of how I was percieving them to look on the outside at that given moment. Could this change them?

I read a story about a girl whose mother never told them they were beautiful but instead told them that it was what was on the inside that counts. The girls thought they were told that because they were ugly. They found out later that their mom said that because she thought they were beautiful and didn't want them to have a big head.

I see the logic, but then again, I have met some absolutely gorgeous women who do not believe they are beautiful. Often, the messages they recieve to the contrary only further their confusion about what they have to offer and what matters most.

I want my girls to believe that they are beautiful, because I know that it DOES matter, even if I told them it didn't. But their actual appearance is far less important than their perception of themselves. That is what impacts how they behave.

I've met women who are unassuming but their belief that someone instilled in them, that they are beautiful, has created a confidence and a beauty that is admirable.

What do you think?

3 Reasons...

...Why I'm distracted from getting anything done :).

"Mommy, Natalie's playing with your deoderant."
"Mommy, can I cut this paper?"
"Natalie, do you want your face painted?"

Heard these all today.

Conversation with Grandma

Contributed by Grandma Kelly:

Noelle: What would happen if you went to a Baker and talked about boogers?

Me: Well the Baker probably wouldn’t like talking about boogers.

Noelle: What if you sang the Baker a nice song about boogers?

Me: He still probably wouldn’t like it because he doesn’t want boogers in his cookie dough.

Noelle: What if you went to a Baker and spit?

Me: The Baker would get really mad because he wouldn’t want spit in his cookie dough.

Noelle: What if you went to the Baker naked?

Me: He wouldn’t let you come in the Bakery.

Noelle: What if you went to the Baker with really dirty clothes?

Me: That would be better than naked.

Noelle: What if you went to a Baker and told him a whopper?

Me: What’s a whopper?

Noelle: It’s when you don’t tell the truth.

One time I didn’t tell the truth when mommy asked me if I took out the bookmark and BOY did I get consequences! I got two time outs and I really didn’t like it and I was on the floor.

Me: Well I guess you should always tell the truth.

I guess the booger topic started when I told her I needed to blow my nose. But how it transformed into this conversation I have no idea!

Get Munked with Alvin and the Chipmunks 2: The Squeakquel

Winter Vegetable and Lentil Soup

For the last few weeks I have been receiving boxes of produce from Farm Fresh To You. http://www.farmfreshtoyou.com/index.php

It's been great. I just changed my box to "Fast Fruits and Veggies". Although it was fun to branch out and use chard, strange squashes among other things, it's just not as practical for me.
Anyways, I was able to use some of my veggies in this soup and I thought it was really tasty.

If your interested in doing FFTY, you can use the promo code 6164 and you get $5 off and I get a free box if you mention my name in the comments.

So, here's the recipe:

Ingredients
1/2 cup red or green lentils
1 cup chopped onion
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 cups shredded cabbage
1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped
2 cups chicken broth
3 carrots, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon curry powder

Directions
1.Place the lentils into a stockpot or a Dutch oven and add water to twice the depth of the lentils. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Drain and rinse lentils; return them to the pot.
2.Add onion, celery, cabbage, tomatoes, chicken broth, carrots and garlic to the pot and season with salt, pepper, sugar, basil, thyme and curry. Cook, simmering for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until desired tenderness is achieved.

****I add four yukon potatoes and dice into small cubes.

This is from allrecipes.com. You can click on the link above to read the reviews and get some tips and alternatives.

Chocolate Chip Calzone

Ingredients
Chocolate Chip Calzone - 9/2/2002


1 pizza dough (Trader Joe's is where I find it)
3 oz. chocolate chips (or more)
3 oz. white chocolate chips (or more)
Vanilla ice cream
Chocolate sauce


Directions
Stretch pizza dough to 10" in diameter. Place 1 oz. chocolate chips (about a handful) at the bottom of the dough and fold once. Place 1 oz. white chocolate chips down and fold again. Repeat 3 times until all the chips are used. Pinch the edges of the dough closed. Bake at 450 degrees for 7-10 minutes until golden brown. Cut into 6 pieces. Serve with ice cream and cover with chocolate sauce. Serves 2.
Recipe from Brian Okada, Claim Jumper


This is a dessert that I love from Claim Jumper and my friend Julie posted it on her facebook. I've now made it a handful of times and it is delicious!

Make sure you leave your pizza dough out at room temperature for at least 30 min or it is impossible to spread. Once it has sat, I can just pull it into shape on my pizza stone. I spread it out just like a pizza and then begin the folding process.

I definitely recommend cooking it for quite a bit longer - maybe 15 minutes total. Just watch that it's not getting too brown on top! I cooked it for probably 20 minutes at 400 and it came out perfect. It can be deceptive though and you don't want it to be gooey dough in the middle.

EASTER!

Noelle has been so excited for holidays this year and is so curious about what they mean and what we're going to do. I'm not totally sure how to explain some of the depth and significance behind Easter but I am seeking to prepare myself in more ways than just Sunday plans, Easter dresses and decorating. I hope that what my head cannot explain and their's cannot understand will in some way be conveyed by the transformation in my own life.

This week is Holy Week, today Palm Sunday. These are not as familiar to me, not growing up or today in a church that really emphasizes these. But as I get older (30 in 2 weeks!!!) I am beginning to realize that these are opportunities for reflection that I don't want to let pass me by.

Last year, I was so moved by the Good Friday service at church and the service on Sunday was a true celebration. Looking forward to this year at the Pacific Amphitheater http://www.rockharbor.org Where is God moving in your heart this week? Or where might you want to make room for Him to work?

Noelle's First School Picture

Her hair didn't stay but I think it's adorable. Preschool still seems so little. I cherish these times. Noelle is so sweet, when she is not being stubborn! She will often tell me that she loves me or thinks I'm great which is so wonderful. I love the bond I see between her and Natalie. We definitely have some battles and she really pushes back at me when I say No. I feel like she is 3, through and through. We have a lot of fun together though and she says at least a few things everyday that bring a smile at her observations or curiousity. Today she turned on Ryan's alarm clock radio and we had an impromptu dance session to "Celebration" on the radio. The girls sure know how to have a good time. I know there will be so many fun memories ahead!

Christmas Season

This Christmas season has been really special. I have enjoyed time with the girls and all of the reminders of the incredible event that we celebrate, Emanuel - God with us.
The girls and I really enjoyed listening to Christmas music. Noelle sing a mean Deck the Halls ("Dawn we now our can you parrel", etc.) and Nat can say, "ho ho ho."
They have enjoyed playing with all their new toys although Noelle would get on a roll with the present opening and really not want to stop.
I was so thankful that my aunt Debi could join us on Christmas Eve as she has been sick and was in the hospital last year. It was such a blessing. Also, the entire attridge family came to my mom's on Christmas day.
Ryan gave me a certificate for laser eye surgery which I am so excited about but also quite apprehensive.
I hope that as you take down your decorations you are reminded of Christ's birth but also of His promise to come again, the fullfillment of hope and peace.

Elves!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Halloween Night

Pumpkin Patch

Kind of an impromptu pumpkin patch visit that we ended up having a lot of fun at. It is really neat now with the girls getting older that we can share some fun times together. We are getting Disneyland passes soon and I look forward to some fun!

Toughest part with these two is keeping track. One always seems to go one way and the other the opposite way. It's funny how you decide who to go after first and how to maneuver. It's quite an adaptation process, being a mom of two and I can only imagine with more.

Halloween Part 1

Natalie and Noelle were baby Aurora and princess Aurora for Noelle's dance class on Friday!

Here is Natalie as Minnie Mouse for her Kid's Class on Thursday - so cute! A room full of under 2 year olds dressed up has got to be one of the cutest sites. Definitely brightens up your day.

Taco Tongue Gene

First Day of Preschool

It's amazing how the firsts just keep on coming and you try to savor them as much as you can but it just doesn't seem to slow down.

Thankfully, preschool still feels little, junior high on the other hand, yikes!

My little girl was so excited for preschool! She really seemed ready. She has always been such a little learner, loving soaking up new information and getting to impress us with her skills.

I'm also excited for what she will learn there - raising her hand, playing with other, listening, etc.

She did really well the first day but was just plain worn out by the end!

She told me that something was, "Cessary" and later I realized that she meant recess. Now, she asks Natalie everyday if she wants to go to recess. I guess that was a highlight, although she said she got "too sweaty."

Here she is before her first day!

EN-ER-GY!

Another thing that my girls are not lacking!

A-TI-TUDE!

Watch out! These little ones have personalily by the truck load! These pictures capture them well!

Tahoe and Scott's Wedding!

It sure was a lot of driving but overall a trip totally worth it. We are so excited for Scott (Ryan's best man) and Annie and loved supporting and celebrating with them! Fun to see friends and sooo great to have Grandma Julie staying with us and helping with the girls! Noelle loved having sleepovers in the same room as her grandma.

Family Resemblance

We have always thought that Ryan's mom Julie is the person that Noelle looks most like - although one baby picture of his sister looks pretty close too. Here is a picture of Julie when she was a toddler. What do you think?
We asked Noelle who it was and she said, "Noelle."

Lemon Chicken

Another recipe we love...

Lemon Chicken
• Boneless skinless breasts (Foster Farms sells a pack that are sliced thin already and work best) or slice horizontally so that you have two thin halves
• ½ cup Bread crumbs
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
• Egg
• 1 cup flour
• 1 lemon
• ½ stick butter
• 2 tsp dried (or fresh) parsley
Prepare a frying pan on medium with 2 tbsp butter.
In an assembly line on your counter:
1. Flour on a plate
2. Beaten egg in a bowl (shallow like a cereal bowl)
3. Parmesan and bread crumbs mixed on a plate
Dip and cover chicken in each, one at a time.
Place breaded chicken in the frying pan.
Cook until each side is brown and the inside is done (if your sides get too brown and inside not finished, you can place in oven and bake until you finish preparing the rest).
In same frying pan on low, squeeze lemon juice and add remaining butter and parsley. Stir.
Pour lemon sauce on top of chicken to serve.
*We always serve this chicken with rice and a vegetable and pour the lemon sauce on those as well.
This is one of our favorite meals. It may not turn out perfect the first time but you can adjust whatever didn’t work for the next time.

I don't have an actual recipe for this so hopefully I explain it well enough.