Friday, May 28, 2010

Keepin' it real

Real life here isn't always three perfectly matched, clean children posed on a sofa in a tidy room. To get those pictures, the kind where all of the kids are looking at the camera and all of them smiling, I usually have to take about twenty (no exaggeration) and then crop and edit. Those are the kind I strive for and work really hard at getting, but these are the real snapshots of our everyday life:
peanut butter and toast crumbs from breakfast still on sweet but silly faces

messy, sweaty ponytails with a dirty bunny and a bathing suit in place of clothes
a milk beard, a scratch from his sister, and an arm in front of the camera
television on, Nascar shirt from Nonna, and the ever present Buzz and Woody
this is a real glimpse into my life...and I love it.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Passion


"This Texas toast is so soft, I wish I could take it to bed for a cuddle." That is what MY girl said at dinner the other night. We went to Bob Evan's for Mother's Day dinner (why? because Matt really wanted to take me to a place with a menu....but we have three small, hungry children) and Texas toast came with our meals. Caroline acted like I had been hiding it from her all these years. She tore into the bread with the love that people feel for chocolate cake or Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream (ahhmm, do you know what I am talking about here?!).
This is the sort of passion that I have for food. I love it. I am someone who lives to eat and not the type who eats to live (I don't even KNOW these people!). I love trying new recipes, I read cookbooks like novels, and I love using my family as guinea pigs. I am glad that my daughter feels that same way about food that I do. She is the sort of girl that asks me the next morning what I ate when I've gone out for a girl's night. She's the sort of girl asks me at dinner what we are having tomorrow night for dinner. She enjoys grocery shopping (don't even get me started my love of grocery shopping). She also loves trying new recipes.

Matt says that I have about four topics of conversation lately (grocery shopping, potty training, The Pionner Woman, and 5k running events for the future). The following recipes highlight two of those topics, so you can imagine that I was pretty dog-on excited that they turned out so well. The first new recipe we tried this week was the Ranch Style Chicken (I showed it to you earlier this week). We loved it. We gave it a "10" out of "10". The next recipe we tried were the Pioneer Woman's BBQ meatballs (Go ahead, click on the title and it will take you to the recipe so you can make them tonight). Awesome. Delish. Every bit of the "10" we rated them. Here they are:We also tried her Chicken Spaghetti Casserole (click it. really.). It too was awesome and delish. Matt rated it higher than the other two but being the red meat lover that I am, I said it was equal and not greater to the others. We were so hungry and excited to dive into the casserole that we didn't even get a picture of it. I really need a macro lens and better lighting so you can easily see just how yummy these recipes really are. The discussion of a macro lens for my camera is quickly becoming my fifth topic of discussion around here. Anyway, after tasting these three recipes, Matt said I should just order myself her cookbook (when will he say that about the camera lens?). It took me about three seconds to grab the computer and do so...it should be here any minute now and I can't wait!

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Bucket 'O Fun

Our family went to a birthday party recently and they gave away really cool party favors.
They are something between a water gun and a syringe. I put out a bucket of water so they could fill their new toys and after playing for a few minutes, Sam decided to stick his entire head into the bucket
...followed by Emma.
She was tickling and teasing him and at one point she pinned him against the door and kissed him.
All in all, a fun afternoon in the backyard.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Birthday: Take Four

Caroline's final celebration of her 4th birthday was held at the Rainbow Party Room. What a fun place. You can have as many children as you want and you don't have to worry about noise or rowdiness. It is a huge room I think everyone had a great time...I know my three did!
the play place
the food and favors
the sweets
the boy who couldn't wait until later
Sophia, Caroline, Julia A., and Cecilia
Julia A.
Brave Emma Kate
Alex, Sophia, and Caroline
Evan
Clara, Sophia, and Belle
Sophia
Emma Kate
cake time
Sam, Caroline, Julia A., and Cecilia hiding from the bad guys
Brooke
Jillian
Alex and Jude
Camden

Monday, May 17, 2010

Birthday: Take three

Nonna was more excited to give gifts than Caroline was to open them...almost anyway
Papa and Emma Kate
gifts from M
such a cutie
if you could only hear her sweet giggles
well, he is, you know
playing in the sprinklers
gathering around M's bean dip (are they MY kids, or what?!)
Gigi and Sam
Gramps
Matt and M
Gigi
Sweet Caroline enduring one more round of "Happy Birthday"
Emma Kate playing with my hair
Love this one of Gigi and Sweet Caroline
Papa and Emma Kate
Caroline's birthday was May 3. You probably remember my post (pizza, Barbie cake, new bike). She also was sung to and had a special treat (Rice Krispie Cupcakes...preschool-allergy friendly) at school. Then we celebrated at my Mom and Dad's with my grandparents and Matt's mom (we missed you Doc). This past weekend we had her birthday party with friends. I guess when you turn 4 you get to celebrate four times?! We cannot continue this trend...can you imagine what it will be like when she turns twelve?