Wordless Wednesday~The Future

I walked into the room to find Ryan watching President Obama and The First Lady yesterday. I found it extremely heartwarming!

Check out other Wordless Wednesday photos at 5 Minutes for Mom.

Bad Mom...BEEElated Birthday!

Ryan thinkin' he is pretty darn cool with the ladies!

I am such a HORRIBLE mother!!! This last year I let BOTH of my children's birthdays pass without given them a friend party! I can come up with as many excuses as you want...Taylor because: her birthday falls on Wine and Food Fair Weekend and my family is always in town, it is hard to track everyone down cause it is in the summer, I hate doing parties alone (WAY TOO MUCH STRESS!!!) so I won't do them during the day while Will is at work, school started, etc.... Ryan because: his birthday is the day after Halloween (which, have I ever mentioned I HATE Halloween!), Thanksgiving arrived so quickly, we celebrated at preschool with everyone anyways...I know, NONE of those excuses are any good. SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...

Ya forget what it is like waiting on a bunch of girls to get ready to go into public!

This past weekend we let Taylor have two of her best girlfriends come stay the night on Friday. Will took them to the basketball game...they sat right behind the boys bench and even better Kellen Moore sat right behind them!!! Will and Kellen talked throughout the game and the girls just whispered amongst each other and giggled (silly girls)! Then, on Saturday we took the girls to the new released movie Hotel For Dogs. They got to sit a few rows in front of us (so they thought they were REALLY COOL)!

Sittin' away from the adults!

Before going to the theater we went past the Dollar Store to get candy. I learned this trick from Lolli, I wasn't smart enough to think of it on my own. They each got to pick out two boxes of candy. Once we got to the theater my extra large purse couldn't hold ALL the candy we bought so we just took in one box per person and they each took home a box.

It was a GREAT movie and we all had a great time. Nothing like having an August birthday in January! Happy Birthday Miss Tay!

Ryan is next...he will also get to take two friends with him to a new movie. He is still trying to decide which new movie coming out he wants to choose.

Monday Meal Ideas~Tuna Noddle Casserole

I know, I know, I know... I have, yet again, missed a couple Monday Meal Ideas! It isn't that I am not cooking for the fam, it is that I am not remembering to take pics when I do...and I am such a visual person that I feel like I can put a new recipe on unless I have a pic! So, here is one I did remember to take a pic of. It is one of my FAVORITES as a child!

Tuna Noodle Casserole

1/2 onion chopped

5 pieces of Celery chopped

Minced Garlic

2 cans of Tuna

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup

Chicken Broth

Noodles

Grated Cheese

Crackers

First, I started by sauteing the onion, celery and a garlic together. Next, I start cooking the noodles (follow the directions on package). While that is sauteing and noodles are cooking, in a bowl I mix the drained Tuna, mushroom soup and about a half can of Chicken Broth together(You want the mixture to be a bit runny). I salt and pepper both the sauteing items and the mixture in the bowl.

Turn the oven to 350 and then spray a 9x13 pan with non-stick spray. Once the sauteing items are to your liking (I usually like to get the onions brown and the celery less crunchy) I then add it to the mixture.

When the noodles are finished I drain the water pouring them into the 9x13 pan and then add the mixture stirring it all together. Finally, I add grated cheese to the top, crumble crackers over cheese and place into the oven for 20-30 minutes just to heat up the entire casserole.

***At times I have also added sour cream and Worcestershire Sauce to mixture.

A Thousand Words Thursday~Relaxin' in Chelan

This is a picture taken in 2006 at our FAVORITE vacation spot Campbell's Resort in Chelan, Washington. Ryan was taking a break from swimming and had gotten himself a whole apple to snack on. I love looking at this picture close up because his eyes are looking out into the lake and I just imagine him thinking..."I need to eat this apple quickly so I can get back into that water."

Fun memories. I think I went to the Chelan pictures cause I am sooo ready for the sun to shine around here!!!

Check out other A Thousand Words Thursday at Cheaper Than Therapy.

Wordless Wednesday~The Wicked "Warlock" of the West...

has FINALLY fallen asleep!

Check out other Wordless Wednesday pics at...where else Wordless Wednesday!

Totally Talented Tuesday~"The Arteest"

Lately Ryan has been doing a lot of coloring. But the other day I heard him getting a cup full of water and asked him what he was doing...he responded that he was "In the mood to paint." (Where do they come up with their words?)

After a little while he asked me to come over and check out his work. This is what he had done...

A bit abstract but I was very proud of him for sitting long enough to finish a project! I am glad to see that my Grandma and Mother's artistic abilities have FINALLY arrived in someone...took long enough!

Check out Totally Talented Tuesday on Dee's site Two of a Kind, Working on a Full House for other Talents.

Magic Marker Monday

Michelle over at 5 Minutes for Special Needs does a cool thing called Magic Marker Monday's . Go on over and check out the great things kids are doing...after you read my post of course! ")

This a picture Ryan drew a few months back. It is a drawing of one of his favorite characters from Star Wars...R2 D2! He even tried to write R2 D2 in the top right corner. After he finished drawing it he wanted it hung on the outside of his bedroom door. He was sooo proud of it.

His drawing and coloring skills have improved tons since this pic was taken...we are still working on the writing part! "[

Picture Tag and 100th POST!

I got picture tagged by Melissa at My Little World: Choo-choos, cars & lipgloss. This is an extra special post too! Not only did I get tagged by a new friend in the blogging world but it also turns out to be MY 100th POST! I am so excited that they both ended up being at the same time because one of the things I wanted to get out of blogging was to meet new people and here I am being tagged by a new friend due to blogging and stalking others blogs ") Thanks Melissa!


So, here are the rules for the Picture Tag:




1) Choose the 4th folder where you store your pictures on your computer


2) Select the 4th picture in the folder


3) Explain the picture


4) Tag 4 people to do the same




So, here it is...I started to laugh so hard when I opened the folder and counted over 4 pics. This is Ryan at Halloween last year. They were praying at preschool before snack time and apparently being Yoda and "using the force" can tire little ones out!



Thanks Melissa for the trip down memory lane!

From me to these wonderful bloggers:

• Dee at Two of A Kind, Working on a Full House
• Ali at Home of the Lazy Dog
• Lynn at The Blair Family
• Lolli at The Essary Family
  

Enjoy ladies and all the rest of us will be waiting to see what you find behind folder #4!!!

***After having to look closer at my picture folders I did notice how HORRIBLY messy and out of order mine are. So, I guess I have some organizing to do. ***

HEALTHY Bologna Sandwiches!!!

I was just sitting on my rear, clicking from blog to blog this morning (and I wonder why I keep gaining weight???) and found this great post from Amy on her blog Coffee With The Mrs. It was on Baskin and Robbins and how they are introducing healthy choices of ice cream which they are calling BRight Choices! Papa Mack...we can eat til our hearts content!

Click on the picture below to see the new products and calorie info.

Just thought this was strange to find this post on BR after just posting about it earlier in the week!

A Thousand Words Thursday

I love to just sit and listen to my sweet Taylor play her guitar! She has more talent and patience than I will EVER have! Play on my little one.

Check out other GREAT "A Thousand Words Thursday" pics at Cheaper Than Therapy.

Wordless Wednesday

Anyone Want Bologna Sandwiches?

Ryan and Papa Mack bringing home Bologna Sandwiches for the rest of us!

A few years back my dad started asking the kids if they wanted to go get "Bologna Sandwiches" after we would get done eating dinner. The kids would look at him like he was crazy. (I'm not sure my kids even know what bologna is!) Well, after a couple times of going on an outing with Papa Mack to get Bologna Sandwiches they quickly learned that that is his secret word for Baskin and Robbins!


Whenever we go to Olympia someone always bring up that we MUST get Bologna Sandwiches before our trip there is over. Papa takes anyone who wants to go and will bring back anything for those of us who want the goods but not the fieldtrip! Taylor has a really good friend named Katie who lives two doors down from Nana and Papa and even she has since learned that when Papa Mack mentions Bologna Sandwiches not to frown but to grab your coat and RUN for the car!

Even Like This?

Today Ryan climbed into my lap and I said to him "I love you sooo much that I could kiss you all over!" And his reply...

"Even if I looked like this?"

Laughing hysterically I replied "Yes" and quickly grabbed the camera!

Monday Meal Ideas

Apparently I am on a soup kick lately. Sorry for those of who whose husbands like meat and potatoes all the time, I don't seem to be helping you out much. I will see what I can do for ya...but I am more of the "throw it all together" kind a gal!

My mother used to make this EVERY Christmas Eve. My kids beg for it to be made weekly!

Clam Chowder

1/2 diced onion

5 pieces of diced celery

5 pieces of cut bacon

2 cans chicken broth

4-6 cans of minced clams (with juice)

2 bags of cubed hashbrowns OR chop up own potatoes

1 quart half and half

salt and pepper

Start by sauteing 1/2 chopped onion, 5 chopped celery pieces, 5 cut up pieces of bacon, salt and pepper.

It will look like this to begin with but will thicken up as the potatoes cook.

While that is sauteing, in a large soup pot add potatoes, chicken broth and clams and bring to a boil. Once the sauteed items are finished add them to the pot. Allow all of this to cook on medium for 2 to 3 hours stirring occasionally. With about a half hour left pour in the half and half, turning down the temperature...you don't want it to boil. I usually pepper it again and serve with french bread.

After adding the half and half and letting it cook about 1/2 hour longer you will end up with nummy tasting Clam Chowder!

FYI~ I have switched to using just red potatoes and cutting up 10-15 of them in place of the hashbrowns. It seems to make a bit chunkier soup.

***This could also be used as a potato soup or even corn chowder leaving out the clams and adding corn. ***

Christmas All {Wrapped} Up

Christmas with the Beightol's at Aunt Florence and Uncle Roger's house.

Boise State Bowl Game at the Weinmann's

What an amazing Christmas we had this year! We were together with family and friends, it snowed, and we received wonderful gifts!

Christmas Eve at Grandma and Grandpa Hall's house.

Taylor taking on Papa Mack's tradition of reading Twas the Night Before Christmas

I can not believe it has come and gone already. It just seems like Halloween was yesterday. This year Ryan started to understand the REAL reason for Christmas. He was excited to buy for others, to wrap presents, receive presents but most of all he truly understood why we celebrate Christmas every year. On Christmas morning I over-heard him say "Happy Birthday Jesus." Way too sweet!

As much as we all love the holidays we all have to agree that the true meaning gets SOOOOO over shadowed by making sure our children have the "latest and greatest" on Christmas morning. And as usual my children didn't go without this year! But at least somewhere inside of them they really do know the meaning for the holiday!

Christmas morning at Nana Cheryl and Papa Dick's BEFORE the chaos began.

Having Christmas via i-chat with the Florida Beightols...what will technology come up with next!?!?!?

Ryan has hardly taken off his football pads.

Mr. Bruns...I had better find your number really soon! It is bad enough having to buy Husky stuff...but Jake Locker?? Come on...that is a TOTAL slap in yours AND Kellen's face!

Cody...you have brainwashed my daughter too!!