Happy Birthday Emilee!

Its amazing to look back at pictures taking throughout the last few years and see how much you really have changed. This is you about 5 days old. This was my favorite stage. You slept so much and I would hold you the entire time. People would tell me not to spoil you, but I had so much love in my heart for you and I felt that if I just held you you would feel that love and feel comforted and secure. I wanted to protect you from everything.



Here you are as a 1 year old. You had so much personality and were starting to test all the limits. This was the begining of all the trouble you would cause as you grew...this was my favorite stage. Watching you learn to walk, talk, and express a variety of emotions. I remember the first walk I took with you outside. We were walking around the block and when we were 3/4 of the way home you started staggering off to the side, and I watched as you found the curb and sat down, then you raised your arms up for me to carry you.



Then at age 2...your personality and your search for independence really took off. You had a mind of your own and I loved seeing it work. You are so smart and it took me off guard more than once. This was my favorite stage because I got to see your creativity and your vocabulary grow. You were singing songs and talking non stop.



And now you're 3! Wow, how the time has flown. I love you more and more each and every day. You bring so much happiness to mine and your dad's life. This is my favorite stage with all the funny little quirky things you say. A day doesn't go by in which you don't make me laugh. You tell the best stories and sing the best songs. I know I said that every stage was my favorite, but its true there hasn't been one thing that I haven't enjoyed about being your mother. Each stage is an adventure and I'm so glad we get to tackle it together. Happy Birthday Emilee...I love you.

New Shoes

Emi Loves getting new shoes just as much as me and I love it. She loves shopping, painting her nails and toes, getting her haircut and styled...it just makes it so much easier for me to do the things I like when she enjoys them too. (: I love having a girl, I know I'll love having a boy if I ever have one...boys probably have a lot less attitude and drama, but for now I'll enjoy my special time with my girly-girl.

I love these ones...all the fun colors.



These are our practical pick. Good for running around and playing in...but still super cute.



But these...are my absolute favorite, Kurt's not a big fan but they remind me of Punky Brooster but in a stylish way. I love them and Kurt...well, he'll learn to love them.

One Needful Thing

One of my old roomies from college has started this new blog that I think will be quite spectacular. Its an amazing idea and I think so many women could benefit from what she shares; as well as by sharing with each other. I hope you check it out.

http://www.oneneedfulthing.net

Life...Who said it would be easy?

This afternoon my husband and I decided to take Emi out to learn how to ride her bike. She of course wanted to ride it to Grandma's. We went down and when we got there no one was there. We were about to leave when we received a phone call from my dad asking us to head down to their storage unit because my mom had fallen; he needed me to take her to the ER and Kurt to help him finish up unloading.

We got there, they gave her a blessing and then Emi and I took her up to the hospital. On the way Emi said a prayer that the doctors would help grandma feel better and not eat her. (She's got a pretty active imagination) My mom was doubled over in pain the whole ride there. They took some x-rays and came back to tell her that she had a fracture in the bone connected to the joint in her right shoulder...possible multiple fractures. The doctor said from his opinion he thinks she'll need surgery, but they won't know till she makes an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon. So, until then she's being sent home in a sling with pain meds. I know these things never happen at a convenient time, but this will be particularly hard with my brother Jase coming home from his mission in a few weeks. Keep her in your prayers.

Carl's Junior

Emi and I did a massive amount of dishes last night...it took us 1hour and 45min. Emilee rinsed every single one. I was amazed that an almost 3 year old with stick with to the end and do every dish...Obviously the part where she got to play in some water held some of her interest. At on point she leaned back holding onto her lower back and said ouch my back really hurts. (She gets it from her dad, everytime he does the dishes he complains about his back). Man, I wish I had a dishwasher...but last night spending that time with my daughter washing dishes was totally worth not having one. But just for last night. (:

So, moral of the story is...I did not want to cook, therefore we had:

Tater Tot Casserole

This is how it turned out:

I soooooooooo needed an easy recipe like this after a night like last night. It was quick, easy, and not half bad. My daughter loved it! For an easy meal on a busy night I'd do it again.

TATER TO CASSEROLE

1lb Ground Beef
1/2 c. chopped onion (or onion salt)
2 (16oz pkgs. Tater tots
2 cans cream of chicken soup (or 1 can cream of mushroom and 1 can cream of chicken)
1 can milk
Grated Cheese

Brown beef and onions. Drain fat. Combine soups and milk. In 9X13 pan, layer tater tots, ground beef, and soup mixture. Top with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 45min.

It literally took me 20minutes to prepare. So on easy prep I'll give it 5 stars, on quality I'll give it 1 1/2 maybe 2 stars.

Costa Vida's Sweet Pork Salads

Recipe Used (From the Slotted Spoon Blog)

Costa Vida Sweet Pork (knock-off recipe)

Pork Roast (4-5 lbs), thawed if frozen
3 c. Coke
1 can tomato sauce
1/2 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. (heaping) brown sugar
1 Tbsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. powdered garlic
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 large carrots, peeled and grated
1 (smallish) serrano pepper, seeded and diced
1 medium yellow onion, chopped

Cut away any obvious fat portions from the roast. Place all ingredients in a crock pot and cook on high for 6-7 hours.

Remove pork to cutting board.

Add an additional 1/2 c. granulated sugar and 1 cup Coke to the liquid in the crock pot. Stir.

Shred the pork, removing excess fat and bones, and add back to the crock pot. Stir.

Reduce to low and cook an additional 3 hours.

Serve pork in Costa Vida style burritos, or otherwise as desired.

*Cover remaining pork and refrigerate for up to one week. It can also be placed in freezer safe bags and frozen for use up to 3+ months later.

Tomatillo Ranch Salad Dressing (Slotted Spoon Blog)

- 7-8 tomatillos, husked and cut in half
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 envelope Ranch Salad Dressing Mix (any brand)
- 1⁄2 envelope (Hidden Valley) Fiesta Ranch Salad Dressing
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Juice from 2 freshly squeezed limes
- 2 Tbsp. milk
- 1⁄3 cup freshly chopped cilantro

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth.

(Store in refrigerator 5-7 days)

Homemade Guacomole (AMAZING)

6 Avocados
2 Jalapeno peppers chopped
2 Roma tomatoes chopped
1 TBSP Garlic Miced
1 Medium White Onion chopped
2 TBSP Lime juice
1/4 Cup fresh cilantro chopped
1 to 2 tsp Salt (to taste)
1/2 tsp pepper

Flour Tortilla Recipes

4 Cups All purpose flour
1/8 tsp baking powder
1/2 vegetable shortening
1 cup luke-warn water
1 1/2 tsp sea salt

Directions:
Place flour in large bowl. Stir in baking powder. Add shortening and use hands to work it into the dough for a good consistency. Dissolve the salt into the water, then drizzle slowly into the flour mixture. You might need to add a little more water. Work the dough into smooth consistency. Cover in a bowl for 20 minutes. Break apart into 12 balls. Roll out and cook over medium heat. While cooking the tortillas, place the cooked ones on one end of a dish towel and cover with the other end.

We topped it off with Tortilla Strips, and Black Beans...Can I just say that this was not an easy meal it took me forever and almost made me want to throw away the rest of the weeks cooking itinerary. But...IT WAS AMAZING! My husband made the tortillas and they were so good. So when you have a lot of time try this.

Meal Planning

My friend Steph started posting her weekly meal plans and I thought it would be a good idea to get me motivated. My husband loves cooking but he works nights now, and I would rather eat out than cook...I know its hard to believe that when my mother is such an amazing cook. Kurt joked once, "Ya know when I decided to marry you I thought you'd have some of your mother's cooking skills." I let him know that he had it all backwards...if you want a wife who can cook make sure her mother can't, because if her mom is a good cook the girl has probably never cooked a day in her life. (: I know thats not true for all but in my case it was. So hopefully this will help.

Sunday - We had Costa Vida Sweet Pork Salads (homemade) Not an easy meal.
Monday - We had Tater To Caserole (Very easy to make.)
Tuesday - 3 Cheese Pork Enchiladas
Wednesday - Leftovers
Thursday - Summer Salad
Friday - Mexican Caserole
Saturday - Lasgna Rolls

Some of these are kind of big meals so we might end up having leftovers 2 nights and save on of the other meals for next week.

Here are some pictures of my very successful shopping trip: I spent under $70 on it all. This should last us the next two weeks if all goes to plan. (plus stuff we already had of course).