Sunday's Dinner

On Sunday I also made a new recipe that I had pinned on Pinterest.  It was a Chicken, Cream Cheese, Salsa Crock Pot creation!!

Before leaving for church on Sunday morning.  I got the crock pot out and put everything in it and by 3:00 p.m. it was ready to eat.  It worked out really good for a Sunday meal since the girls have Little Dribblers at 4:30 p.m.  We were able to eat a nice meal before they went to basketball and it required little effort on my part. 

What you need:
2.5 lb bag of Frozen Chicken Breast
1 can of Corn, drained
1 jar Salsa
8 oz. block of Cream Cheese
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Tortillas

All the Ingredients in the Crock Pot.

Combine all the ingredients in your crock pot and cook for about 6 hours or so depending on your crock pot.  I think mine cooks hot, so I had it on the low setting for 8 hours and it was ready in 6.  Stir every 2 hours.  About a half an hour before mine was done I shredded the chicken and then turned the crock pot off and let it sit for a half an hour to let it thicken up.  I served it in tortillas with shredded cheese on top.

This was really different and it makes a ton.  Greg wasn't crazy over it, but the kids really liked it.  After basketball we were all really hungry so I heated some up and mixed in Nacho Doritos.  That was really good!!  Alicia preferred it that way and Lauren liked it in the tortillas!!

New Recipes

On Saturday I made 2 new recipes that I had pinned on Pinterest.  My new favorite website!!  I love finding diy projects and recipes! 

For dinner I made Pizza Grilled Sandwiches.  These were super easy and great for my family since we all LOVE pizza.

What you need:
Bread
Butter
Mozzarella Cheese
Pepperoni
Pizza Sauce

Heat a frying pan or skillet.  While the pan is heating up, butter each piece of bread on one side.  Put your bread into the pan buttered side out, add your pizza topping and mozzarella cheese.  Cook until golden brown and flip over carefully.  Cut in half and dip in pizza sauce.

Greg likes mushrooms on his pizza so I added them to his sandwich and it turned out good.  Since his sandwich was a little fuller I just had to be careful when I flipped it so everything didn't fall out!

Saturday evening me and the kids whipped up some Strawberry Oreo Cookies.  These cookies would be perfect for a snack for a Valentines Day party.  I know if either of the girls get picked to bring a treat this is what we will be making.

What you need:
1 Strawberry Cake Mix
2 Eggs
3/4 cup of Shortening

Mix together the ingredients.  Roll the dough into small balls.  Put 2 balls together on the cookie sheet and pinch the bottoms together to make a heart shape.  Bake at 350 for 8 minutes.  After the cookies are completely cooled, frost with cream cheese frosting and put 2 cookies together.  Here is the recipe I used for the frosting.

What you need:
8 oz Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 stick Butter, softened
2 tsp. Vanilla
4 cups Powered Sugar

Mix all ingredients together.  The perfect frosting!!

I will admit I have never made homemade cream cheese frosting and never knew how easy it was to make, and so much better than the store bought.  I will be using this recipe from now on!!  Also, my cookies did not stay in the heart shape.  I'm not sure if it's because I flattened the tops a bit trying to get the perfect heart shape.  They actually turned into big circles.  So I put two together and then cut them in half, because they were way to big with all the frosting in the middle.

Make Your Own Fabric Softener

Last night I decided I would complete my first project from Pinterest.  I was out of dryer sheets and had found this very simple way to make fabric softener, so it just seemed like the perfect opportunity to try it out.  It only cost me around $3.50 and it makes a big container!!!  So here is how you do it.

Ingredients:

6 cups HOT water
3 cups white vinegar
2 cups Suave Refreshing Waterfall Conditioner {or other favorite scent}

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are my ingredients plus the hot water.  I actually heated my water up on the stove until it was just about boiling.  I figured the hotter it was the better the conditioner would dissolve in it.  If you get the same size bottle as I did, you don't have to measure because the whole bottle is 2 cups.  Which is good to know because next time I won't have to put conditioner in my kitchen measuring cups!!

First mix the conditioner and hot water well, until the conditioner is dissolved completely.  I used an old bucket to mix it together.

Then add the vinegar and mix well.  That's all there is to it!!  Super easy and fast.  I stored mine in an old Juicy Juice container, because that's what I had but any type of plastic jug will work.

Here is the finished product.  Pour it into your Downy ball or put 2 tbsp in your fabric softener dispenser and wash!

A Normal Weekend with the King's

This past weekend we didn't have any plans other than lots of relaxing and reading and a little bit of cleaning.  I just started reading the Twilight books around Thanksgiving and started Breaking Dawn last week.  I hadn't had much time to read during the week so I was really looking forward to just sitting around and reading.  I ended up finishing it Saturday night.  We didn't eat dinner until 6:30 p.m., because I only had a few pages left and couldn't bare to put it down until I finished.  I would have to say it was definitely my favorite of the 4 books.  Other than lots of reading, here are a few highlights from our weekend!!

We scooped Goldie out of our pond in the backyard because the water was freezing, and brought her inside.  Russell was super excited and likes to talk to her and ask her how she's doing!!  It's really cute.  Unfortunately early Monday morning Goldie died.  Not sure if it was the shock of going from a totally different climate that caused her death or what happened.  I'm thinking we are going to get a new Goldie though.  The kids really enjoyed watching her.

I sent Russell upstairs to get some pajamas and he came down almost fully dressed.  I had to help him with his shirt.  It was super cute and really made me realize that he's not a baby anymore!!  His socks were quite hilarious though because they are a bit too small and he only had them pulled on halfway.

Grandma Cathy took Alicia and Lauren to Chamberlain's for a princess afternoon.  They each got their hair curled, a feather put in, nails painted, and hot chocolate and dessert.  They had a lot of fun, and they loved their curls!!  Alicia kept asking me how old did I think she looked.  That was a really tricky question because I know how old she is, but I knew she wanted me to say she looked way older than what she is.  I think my answer pleased her though.  I don't quite remember what I said, because I was almost to the end of Breaking Dawn around this time, but I know she wasn't offended by my answer!!  So I must have answered appropriately!!

Christmas Bazaar

Another Christmas Bazaar has come and gone!  This year the bazaar was great!!  We had a great team of 5 girls working together to make sure everything came together.  We had 41 vendors!!  This was an increase of 9 from last year, and I believe was the same amount as 2 years ago. 

62 children saw Santa and every child got a gift back with a few treats in it.  We were able to talk Mrs. Clause into coming at 12:30 to read some stories to the children while Santa was parking his sleigh.  It was really cute and she did a great job. 

This year we tried something new and asked all the local churches for donations of hats and gloves for a hat and mitten tree.  We weren't sure how this was going to turn out, and I was really worried we were going to end up with a couple things on our tree.  However, it was exactly the opposite!!  We had so many hats and mittens donated they didn't all fit on the tree.  We laid some around the bottom of the tree and then had some in a bag of reserves.  We took all that was left over and donated it to the school for kids who don't have hats and mittens for recess or for kids who forget theirs. 

I found a picture online of a present arch and thought that would make a perfect background for Santa.  I got my Dad to help me out and using some pvc pipe, a hole saw, and lots of boxes we were able to make an awesome arch.  I thought it turned out great.

The kids had a blast and I got some Christmas shopping done and got a really nice Christmas wreath.  We are already coming up with some new ideas for next year and hoping to make it even better!!  I always think that my Grandma Wagner would be so proud, because she loved crafts and this would have been right up her alley!!  I wonder if she enjoys it from where she is at!!

Tis the Season

Wow, I can't believe Thanksgiving is already over, and we are now racing towards Christmas.  I love Christmas, but I always feel like it is here in a flash and I haven't had enough time to properly prepare.  I don't think this year will be any different.  I have something going on every weekend from now until Christmas. 

I'm ready for this weekend to be over.  We have the Christmas Bazaar on Sunday and I still have quite a bit of work to do.  I found a picture of an arch made out of presents, and decided that this year that would make a perfect background for Santa.  I did a test run on Saturday and found out I don't have enough boxes so now I am on the hunt for about 3 more.  I really hope once it's all together it looks nice and not like "what the hell is that thing". 

I'm really looking forward to Christmas baking on the 17th.  It's a lot of work but we end up with some deliciously, fattening treats afterwards.  Ellen has promised me she will be here that afternoon to help with the baking.  She has missed the last 2 years, so I'm really looking forward to having her back in the kitchen.  Besides nobody makes the peanut butter balls as well as she does! 

Completely off topic, the other night I went to check on Russell when he was suppose to be sleeping and this is what I found.

Look Mom, I made a pen!  He took all the books in his room and lined them up.  For some reason, he called it a pen.

After it was arranged then you had to walk across the books.  Oh the things he finds to do when he is suppose to be sleeping.

Bunnies

My Mom has been dying to get the girls bunnies all summer.  I was against the idea because I was afraid they would lose interest in them quickly, and then I would be left to care for 2 rabbits that I didn't want in the first place.  I was reassured that everybody was going to take care of their rabbit, and in the winter they would go to Mom's and live in the barn where it was warm.  Also, if it got to the point where the girls weren't taking care of the bunnies they would also go to my Mom's.  So I gave in and said that they could get the bunnies.

So one Friday night in August, Mom, Alicia, and Lauren headed over to the Newberry Fair to pick out their Lionhead Rabbits.  They brought home 2 really cute rabbits!!  Russell loves the rabbits which is a good thing since Lauren is scared of her rabbit and doesn't play with it much.

I have been helping the kids get them out and play with them.  I am already having to remind them to feed the rabbits since school has started up and evenings are super busy!!  It hasn't been to big of an issue so far, because on the nights when Alicia has tons of homework Russell and Lauren will go outside and feed them and just check on them.  We try to get them out of the cage and play with them on the weekends, and so far they are still really friendly!

Lauren wears a "bunny suit" to hold her rabbit.  She insists that she needs to wear her long underwear so that the rabbit doesn't scratch her.  Her bunnies name is Midnight or Ninja, it just depends on the day!!

Alicia and Russell holding her bunny Fluffy.  Alicia has tried walking Fluffy on a leash, but it didn't work out to well.  I think it needs to get bigger before putting a collar on it and taking it for walks.

Suicide Mud Plunge 2011

The mud run/obstacle course was last Saturday in Negaunee and wasn't quite what I expected!  We put together a team of 4 girls including myself and registered, expecting the race to be run to an obstacle complete it and then run to another and so on.  It turns out that it was basically a 5k run with a few obstacles.  The run portion was really nice.  It was through some trails in the woods and the running was perfect, but the obstacles needed some work! 

There was a 10 foot wall to climb and when we rounded the corner we saw the line of people waiting to go over it!!  We probably waited around 20 minutes or so just for our turn.  We all went right over the wall with no problem.  It was a bit of a bummer because I think we could have been up there in the top women's teams.  Instead we finished with a time of 59 minutes and some seconds.  On the positive side, this was the first time for this race and the organizers of the race are already aware of the issue and are working on addressing it for next year.  When they planned this race they were hoping to have 250 people sign up for it and on race day over 700 people completed the course!  The turnout was amazing. 

My mom came along so Alicia and Lauren could run the kids 1k.  They had a really good time and got really dirty and had fun doing it!  I did not enjoy the mud pit at the end quite so much and tried going through it kneeling!  It was a good time and I look forward to competing again next year!

My team before the race

After coming out of the mud pit at the end!!

After we were hosed off and most of the mud was off of us

Lauren and Alicia going through the mud pit

They had a blast and I was glad they were able to do this!!

Detroit Airport

In Lauren's post about our Boston trip she mentioned the Detroit airport and how cool it was.  She really liked the walls that were all different colors and the moving walkways.  I didn't know it when Lauren did her post, but my Mom took pictures of the airport.  So I decided to share them with everyone, enjoy!! 

Suicide Mud Plunge

My running partner found out about a mud run in Ishpeming on Aug. 28th and has convinced me to try it out.  So two Saturdays for now I will be climbing a wall, running through tires, going across a balance beam, and running 3 miles through mud, along with some other obstacles!!  It's bound to be interesting and fun.  My co-worker is going to run it also so I'm really excited to run my first mud run with two really fun competitive girls.  Michelle is running a sand hill tonight in preparation for the race, and I think I might join her if I can get over to her house in time tonight.  Here's the link to the site http://www.facebook.com/#!/suicidemudplunge and I'll will post pics and results after the race!

Our Trip To Boston

I surprised the girls with a trip to Boston to see my sister Ellen on July 19th.  My mom went with us also.  She had been wanting to go visit Ellen, but since my Dad doesn't really like to travel, it worked out perfectly for her to go with us.

I went to work on Monday and came home and told the girls I had a surprise for them and we needed to run the babysitter home, and then I would tell them the surprise.  So we get home and I said, "Grandma is going to be here in a couple minutes.  Do you know why?"  Alicia wanted to know if that was the surprise.  I said, "no the surprise is we are going to Boston!!"  I thought she was going to cry.  It was so neat to see them so happy and excited about going on a trip and flying for the first time.  I was really excited about a vacation, but also very nervous about leaving Russell for this long of a time.  I have only left him once for the weekend while I went scrapbooking, so I knew he was going to miss me, and I was going to miss him too.

Alicia and Lauren after I told them we were going to Boston

That night we went to Marquette and stayed at the Super 8, so we wouldn't have to get up as early the next morning.  Mom did some shopping and got some new summer clothes and the girls got a couple new things also.  We got up early the next morning to be at the airport by 6 am.  Alicia woke up around 5:00 a.m. and sat up and said "who's excited to go on an airplane" and then raised her hand!!  It was so cute and that was the level of excitement throughout the whole day.  The flights went perfectly, and nobody got sick on the plane, including Mom!!

Mom wanted me to take this picture of the airplane in Marquette

Lauren on the airplane to Minneapolis

We landed in Boston 20 minutes ahead of schedule, but Ellen did some super driving and was there to pick us up by the time we had gotten our luggage.  We headed back to her house for lunch and then went and got manicures and pedicures.  The first night was one of my favorite parts of the whole trip.  It was so relaxed and neat to see the city for the first time.  We just walked around and found things to look at, and got some treats from Mike's Pastries.  We met Peter for the first time, Ellen's boyfriend and he joined us for dinner at Cheer's.

While we were getting pedicures, Alicia was getting her manicure and Lauren was waiting for her turn so she took pictures to keep herself busy!

Mom smelling the roses at a garden we found as we were walking around

Wednesday was a bit more intense but also had times for relaxing, which we definitely needed.  We started out by walking the Freedom Trail which was much longer than I had anticipated.  Lauren had a hard time walking the whole distance, so we would give her piggy back rides.  It was quite warm out and with a 60 pound child on your back, you are bound to sweat.  The one time she said to me, "Mom you can put me down now, your back is too sweaty."  I busted out laughing and thought I wonder WHY my back is so sweaty!!  We ended up skipping Bunker Hill and went to Zume's for lunch.  I was starved after all that walking and ate way to much, but it was so good.

Taking a break on the Freedom Trail.  Water and beef jerky was the perfect energy booster!!

Zume's were Ellen worked for a while

Next we headed to the ocean for a few hours of relaxation.  The beach was nice and the water was about the same temperature as what Lake Michigan is.  The girls played in the sand and went in the water a couple times, but they wouldn't go in without an adult.  We layed on the blanket and rested.  I wanted to go to a mall while in Boston to get some new shorts, so we stopped on the way back from the ocean.  I found some good deals which for me always makes for a good shopping trip.

Ellen chilling at the ocean

Thursday the girls slept in till 10:00.  I think they were exhausted!  Ellen and I got up that morning and ran along the Charles River.  It felt great to get some running in while on vacation.  Once we got back to the house, cleaned up, and the girls got up and got ready we headed to the aquarium.  The girls liked the touch tank and really liked the big shark that swam around this round tank that went through the middle of the aquarium.  After the aquarium we jumped onto the train and went to the Museum of Science.  This was one of my favorite museums.  They had a large dinosaur area that Lauren really liked and also an area about animals that interested Alicia.  The girls had a lot of fun in the kids area that let the kids play while teaching them about science.  We ended up taking a taxi home that night because there was problems with the trains and Peter and his mother were coming over for supper.  It was so hot that Ellen couldn't cook without turning the apartment into a sauna, so we ordered out pizza and then took the kids to the park down the road.

This is how excited we were about standing in line to get into the aquarium when it was close to 100 outside!!

Touching the sting ray

Friday was the hottest day of the trip with the temperatures reaching 103 and with the heat index 110!  We drove the car downtown to the Museum of Fine Arts.  By this time, I think the girls were pretty much done with museums.  I know now this for future trips, don't try to go to every museum.  Maybe just go to a couple and then do more unstructured activities.  The Museum of Fine Arts had a really neat blown glass exhibit.  It was so pretty and one of the neatest things I have seen.  We ended up eating our lunch in the car in the a/c, because it was too hot to sit outside.  After lunch we headed to the Prudential building which is the tallest building in Boston.  We went to the top of it and walked around and looked at the city.  We had planned on going out for seafood Friday night in the evening, but the heat left everyone drained so we decided to just go eat at 4:30 rather than drive back to Ellen's sit around for a half hour and then drive back downtown for dinner.  We went to the Barking Crab and ate on the outside patio.  Thank goodness it was shaded and there was a slight breeze!! 

Blown glass exhibit

How cool would it be to swim in that pool?

That night we decide to go to a park down the street to let the kids play in the water.  By the time we got there the water area was closed, but there was an ice cream truck there which made up for the kids not being able to play in the water.  According to Lauren, this was one of the highlights of her trip!!  Since the water area was closed at this park there was a smaller park down the street from Ellen that had a sprinkler that you could hit a button and the water would come on for a couple minutes.  So we headed there and played till around 9:00 pm.

Saturday came way to fast.  It seemed like the week flew by and I was sad about my vacation being over and going back to work, but I was ready to see Russell again.  We talked to him on the phone a couple times a day and it was always so sweet to hear him and the girls talk to each other.  He kept telling Alicia he missed her and would kiss the phone while they were talking.

Saturday we went and took a ride on the swan boats.  This was what Lauren had been wanting to do all week.  She had been in a bit of a funk so I was hoping this would give her a better attitude.  She needs downtime and with all the activities and all of us sleeping in Ellen's room she didn't really ever have a chance to just be by herself.  Her attitude was a tiny bit better, but I also think she was getting a bit homesick.  So we rode the swan boats which were pretty neat and then went to the Franklin Zoo.  We had a good time there and didn't rush but leisurely walked around and looked at the animals.

After the zoo we went back to Ellen's and got ready to go to Peter's sisters house in New Hampshire for a bbq.  There was a ton of people there and they had a bouncy house for the kids, a swimming pool, live band, and lots of food.  Lauren wanted to swim so bad, but wanted Alicia to go with her.  Alicia was to shy because of all the kids she didn't know.  Well she finally agree to put her suit on and sit on the edge of the pool.  A ball came near her and she leaned over to pick it up and slid right into the pool!!  Which made Lauren's night because she was dying to swim.  We headed back to Boston at 8:00 because our flight was at 5:40 the next morning.

Our flights on the way back were excellent and we were back home around 12:00 p.m. on Sunday.  It was a great trip and I'm glad the kids were able to learn some U.S. history, and fly for the first time.  Russell wasn't super excited to see me when I first got home but quickly warmed up and wouldn't let me out of his sight for the next couple days! 

Now I am planning our next vacation, hopefully I can talk Greg into going on the next one!!

Boston from Alicia's Perspective

I had a great time in Boston.  It's really big.  We went to Cheers for dinner and I met Aunt Ellen's boyfriend Peter. I saw a street performer, and he had a pogo stick and he was on cement and he jumped and jumped and jumped, and he did a flip and landed on the pogo stick.  After that we went to the little store downstairs and my mom bought my dad a present, Grandma Wagner bought something too.  We walked to a carousel and then we walked to Mike's Pastry which Peter led us too.  I got some ice cream.  It was Oreo ice cream and Lauren got a peanut butter pastry.  After that we saw some shooting water so we decided to go over there.  Me and Lauren played in the water with our clothes on.  So to dry off we did some spins.  After that we went to Aunt Ellen's house.  Then I got to meet Richard.  Then we got washed up and went to bed. 

Alicia getting her first manicure/pedicure.  She loved it!!

Alicia and Lauren on the carousel

A fountain we stumbled upon while walking to Mike's Pastry!

In the morning we ate breakfast, and started to walk the freedom trail.  we saw mother gooses grave and we also saw George Washington grave and we kept on asking when we were going to be there. Then we finally made it to the coffee shop were Ant Ellen used to work.

Alicia and Mom in front of a building on the Freedom Trail

Then we went to the ocean and swam!!! When it was time to go I found some seashells!! 

The next day we went to some museums one of the museums there was a penny roller and I thought it was awesome! I think the best thing was the air plain because you got snacks and something to drink.  I know

i already said this, but I had a great time and in two weeks I'm going to Chicago!

Alicia at the Museum of Science where there was a penny roller!!

At the Marquette airport waiting for our flight to Boston

Alicia and Grandma on the airplane, waiting to take off!!

Lauren's Thoughts on Boston

I like it in Boston because the swan boats are awesome, and i think that aunt Ellen house is awesome!!!!!!!
We went to the museum of fine arts . I went to peter's sisters pool!!!! I wanted to swim really bad but wanted my sister to go in with me.  She said she would sit by the edge, but then she slipped in too fast!  So then we swam and played together.  It is a big big place, because I like it it is super amazing. 

Going for a ride on the swan boat

Lauren at the Museum of Fine Arts

I liked the airport in Detroit, because it was so awesome, I almost screamed but I didn't want to.  Because I knew I was going to get into trouble.  There was the colorful awesomest, coolest tunnel I ever seen in my life and there was these walking things, you walk on them and when you are halfway to the end they say, "Please watch your step". 

At the airport in Marquette waiting to fly to Boston!!

I got a snow cone, Alicia got a Tweetybird bubble gum ice cream stick, Grandma got a strawberry ice cream bar and we got from the ice cream truck at the park.  I had never saw an ice cream truck in my life.  I think that Aunt Ellen's roommate Richard is nice and when I saw him when I got kinda silly to him. I never saw Stephanie Aunt Ellen's other roommate.  I hope next time I see her, I think she will look pretty, and I she will be nice.  Me and Alicia were playing hide and seek tag at the park there was a baby one and a big kid one and what was silly that Grandma slided on the zip line.  It was a lot of fun and I went on it too.  But Alicia didn't, she was a little scared.  I love it in Boston!!  I think that town is cool.  I love you Aunt Ellen so much.

Lauren eating her snowcone

Lauren fell asleep on the first day in Boston on the bus!!

Alicia, Lauren, and Grandma posing on the Freedom Trail

Posing outside of City Hall with the donkey

The girls with their Aunt Ellen that they love so much!!

Lauren and Mom with a soldier!!