Tag Archives: Children

May 16 2011

Busy Weekend

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This past weekend we were really busy.  It started Friday night.  Preston had his spring concert with the Eastern Idaho Children’s Choir.  Ever since he was really young Preston has loved to sing.  He was singing “I am an Child of God” in Japanese by the time he was two.  When I found out about the local children’s choir I knew it was a good fit for him.  This has given him an opportunity to meet new people and to develop his talent.  He is learning the fundamentals of singing.  I’ve heard a great improvement from when he started.  He tells me he would like to be in choir again next year.  They had a good concert.  The only thing I would change is that they have a better sound system.  It was difficult to hear the children sing especially the youngest group.  They only had one microphone and that was only used to announce the songs.  It’s a shame because that’s why we go, we want to hear the kids sing.

Prelude Choir

Doesn't he look nice

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Saturday we went on our first family day hike for the year.  We went to Hells Half Acre.  This is becoming a yearly tradition.  It didn’t take us as long as it did last year.  The kids are becoming seasoned hikers.  Next year we think we might do the red trail which is considerably longer.  We were a little worried about Moxie and what the lava rocks would do to her paws but she did really well and by the end she was leading us to the next marking post.  We were only there for a couple of hours and it did start to sprinkle on us a little but it was really fun.  We can’t wait to go on another hike.  Next weekend it is Fathers in Sons camp out.  The boys will get to explore a cave and Sophia and I get to have a fun girls night (princess movies, painting nails).

Hells Half Acre spring 2011

Levi Climbing down the rocks

Levi needed a little help getting down

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preston climbing down

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sophia, Mommy, and Moxies backside

Me: "Levi watch out" Levi: " I know dad's behind the bush"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Whole Family

Also on Saturday was our 12th anniversary.  It is hard to believe that it was 12 years ago that Corey and I were sealed for time and eternity in the Portland Oregon temple.  He has been the best thing that has ever happened to me.  Saturday night my friend Jenn came over and watched the kids for us.  We went out to dinner and then had a nice quiet drive and walk.  We love our kids but it was really nice to have an evening without them.  We played a game of name what happened to us each year that we’ve been married.  It was fun to reminisce and remember both the good times and hard times.  Really makes you appreciate the here and now.  Thanks Jenn for giving us a great evening.  I’m sure the next  12 years are going to be just as fun.

Twelfth Anniversary

Apr 29 2011

Preston’s Birthday

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I can’t believe it but my oldest is now nine.  Last Saturday we spent a fun day celebrating.  Every other year we let the kids have a big party.  Preston had one last year so this years birthday was spent just with the family.  Saturday happened to be the nicest day in the week.  We were able to take the family to the green belt and look at the falls and chase the birds.  Preston said that it was his favorite non-party year ever.  We spent most of the day outside.  I had asked Preston what he wanted to do for his birthday and he said he wanted to go to IHOP.  Preston’s favorite thing to eat is pancakes.  He’ll eat them anytime of day.  I think his record is 11 four inch pancakes.  So IHOP is fitting for his birthday.  We opened presents at the restaurant.  Preston really wanted a real tie (no clip ons or zippers).  He also got a journal from his Nammi and Nampa.  He has written in it everyday since.  He also got some money from Grandma and Grandpa T.  So we took him to Toys R Us to pick out a gift.  We walked through the whole store only to find out that he wanted the first thing he saw in the store.  He got a penguin pillow pet.  We then went home and had cake and ice cream.  I find it odd that Preston didn’t ask for a video game or some awesome toys but that he was very practical with what he wanted.  I guess that proves he is growing up.  He is such a sweet boy with a sweet spirit.  We are so blessed to have him in our lives.

 

 

 

 

 

This is Preston's design. He made a drawing for me to show me how he wanted his cake.

 

Apr 29 2011

Shoshone Falls

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Okay I have a lot of blogging to catch up on.  After blogging almost everyday in March I took a hiatus.  So first off at the beginning of the month we went to Twin for a baptism.   On our way home we decided to stop by Shoshone falls.  I don’t know why I have never been here.  I used to have cousins that lived in Twin falls and we would visit them often while I was growing up.  I didn’t know how spectacular the falls were.  Of course, on this day, in early April the falls are quite full which makes for a more spectacular view.  It was raining that day and the falls put out quite a lot of spray so we were thoroughly drenched by the time we left.  It was really fun to see the falls and we didn’t mind standing out in the cold and rain for the view.  Maybe we’ll even stop by and see the falls again on our way through during the summer sometime.

Shoshone Falls

The boys are trying to protect themselves from getting wet.

Mar 10 2011

Acorn Squash Soup

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I have had this huge acorn squash sitting on my counter, staring at me, for a few days now.  So I decided to make some soup with it.  There is a recipe, from a friends blog, that I’ve been wanting to try.  So I sliced the acorn in half.  I scooped out it’s guts and popped it in the oven to roast.  It roasted for about an hour.  I separated the flesh from the skin and discarded the skin.  There was so much squash that I had to divide it (So I still have half a squash in my fridge).  I took  2 carrots, half an onion, and  1/2 inch ginger root and sauted them in a large sauce pan.  Then I added 3 cups of chicken stock brought it up to a boil.  Then I brought down the temp to a simmer.  I simmered it for about 30 minutes and added the squash and simmered for another 30 minutes.  I used a stick blender to blend it into a smooth texture.  Then I add a 1/2 cup of cream.

I really enjoyed this soup. I also really love squash.  My family, on the other hand, could have done without.  Levi took one bite and you would have thought I was trying to poison him.  I had only gave them a little so after they ate what they had I peeled and chopped two cucumbers.  They devoured the cucumbers in no time.  Corey impressed me.  He ate the soup and didn’t complain one bit.  After dinner I asked what he thought and he said that he doesn’t like squash.

Thanks KellyAnne for the recipe.  I really enjoyed this soup.  It’s really too bad I probably won’t get another chance to eat it again.  Meanwhile I still have half of a squash that, apparently, I have to eat all by myself.  Acorn Squash is a good source of Vitamin C.

Mar 8 2011

Orange slices, Bananas, and Scones

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The kids didn’t have school Monday morning do to a teacher work day.  This gave me more time to work on breakfast.  This breakfast hits a soft spot for me.  Growing up my family owned a cabin in Warm Lake Idaho.  Every summer we would take off for a week each month and go to the cabin.  I have many great memories of this place.  One memory is of these scones.  My mom would always plan on having scones for at least one of the breakfasts while we were there.  She would buy a package of frozen rolls and let them thaw overnight.  Then in the morning she would flatten and fry them and serve them with honey and sugar.  They disappeared faster than she could make them.  The kids love these.  These scones are really just a fry bread and aren’t that healthy all by themselves.  So I sliced three oranges and  2 bananas for  the kids to eat along with the scones.  This breakfast was a success.  Nothing was left.  Oranges are high in vitamin C and are a good source or dietary fiber.  Bananas are a good source of fiber, vitamin C, and potassium.

Oranges and Bananas

Mar 4 2011

Fruit Salad for Breakfast

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Cantaloupe, Banana, pear, and Strawberries

Okay, I’m not a morning person.  I never have been and probably never will be.  I love to sleep in.  Unfortunately with young kids that isn’t as often as I would like.  Usually I drag myself out of bed and give myself just enough time to get the boys breakfast, make lunches, and see them off to school.  Then I’ll get Sophia dressed and fed.  I usually just have a small bowl of cereal.  Well Wednesday morning was something different.  On Tuesday night, while rummaging in the fridge for something good to eat, I discovered that I still had a cantaloupe hidden in the back of my fridge.  I decided to chop it up and have a small evening snack.  Then I put the rest of it back in the fridge.  After I got the boys off to school in the Morning I found the cantaloupe in the fridge.  A fruit salad sounded pretty tasty to me.  I took the cantaloupe, pear, strawberries, and banana (all from the basket) and mixed them all up.  It was really good.  Sophia ended up with second breakfast (she had oatmeal with her brothers).  I also had a piece of toast on the side.  This was perfect for my morning.  If I get more fruits in the next basket I’ll probably do the same thing.  Cantaloupe is high in vitamins A & C, and is a good source of folate.  Strawberries are high in vitamin C and folate.  Bananas are a good source of vitamin C, fiber, and potassium.  Pears are an excellent source of fiber and a good source of vitamin C.

Mar 3 2011

Broccoli

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We were given so much broccoli that I’ve been a little worried that I won’t be able to use it all.  Monday night for dinner I decided to make broccoli and cheese soup for dinner.  This is one of my favorite soups.  I really love to make bread bowls and eat the soup out of that.  My husband thought it would be better with some bread on the side.  So that is what we ended up doing.  I chopped and sauted about 1/2 cup of onions and then added about 2 cups of broccoli.  I added 3 cups of chicken stock (just enough to cover).  I brought it all to a boil.  I reduced the heat and let it simmer for about 30 minutes.  I then took my stick blender and blended it until it was smooth.  I added  a 1/2 cup of cream and 1/2 cup of cheese.  The soup had a really good flavor, but I was reminded why we don’t eat it very often.  Preston and Sophia didn’t have any problems eating the soup.  Levi, however, had to choke it down.  He kept complaining about how he didn’t like it.  I’m hoping with time that his opinion will change and we can at last enjoy this wonderful soup.  I used about half of the broccoli that was in the basket.  Since I boiled the broccoli it lost a lot of it’s nutritional value.  You can steam, microwave, and stir fry broccoli with no effect on it’s nutritional benefits. Broccoli when prepared right is high in vitamin C and  high in folate. Broccoli is also a good source of dietary fiber and potassium.

Broccoli and Cheese Soup

 

Mar 2 2011

Sunday Dinner

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Swiss Steak, Herbed potatoes, Garden salad

For dinner on Sunday I made Swiss steak.  For the sides I used the Butter Gold Potatoes, lettuce, and tomatoes from the basket.  I tried something new with the potatoes.  Most of the time when we buy potatoes its the big russets that you get locally.  I thought that with these small potatoes I could make herbed potatoes.  I washed and boiled the potatoes until they were tender.  Then I sliced them in half and tossed them in a teaspoon of olive oil and a teaspoon of butter.  I sprinkled them with garlic powder, basil, parsley, green onions, and salt and pepper.  My husband and I thought that this was the best thing we had at dinner.  The kids however weren’t sure about all the herbs on the outside of the potatoes.  The kids liked the salad the best.  I made the salad with the lettuce and tomatoes from the basket.  I also added cauliflower, carrots, celery, and red pepper that I had already had in the fridge.   The potatoes are high in vitamin C and a good source of Potassium.  Potassium helps regulate blood pressure.  The Lettuce is high in Vitamin A, and a good source of Folate.  The Tomatoes are also high in Vitamins A & C and is also a good source of Potassium.  A salad is one of the best ways to consume fresh fruits and vegetables because you consume them raw.  When you cook fruits and veggies they lose a little of their nutritional value.  Sunday Dinner

Mar 1 2011

Mango

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First item that I used from the basket was a mango.  I noticed that the mangoes felt fairly ripe.  It was snack time.  I peeled, sliced and divided the mango.  The kids were excited.  This isn’t the first time they have had mangoes, but we don’t have them often.  I was worried that the texture was going to be too much for them.  They devoured it.  It was a great snack and healthy too.  Mangoes are High in Vitamin A and a good source of Vitamin C.  Vitamin A is good for the eyes and skin.  It also helps with your immune system.  Vitamin C helps heal cuts and wounds.  It helps boost your immune system and is good for your teeth and gums (fruits and veggies more matter).

Kids Eating Mango Slices
Sophia taking a bite 

Levi stuffing his face

When Preston finished I heard him run down the stairs shouting “I love Mangoes”.  It’s feels good to give them something they love and good for them too.

Feb 5 2011

Cabin Fever

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According to Wikipedia the definition for cabin fever is “a claustrophobic reaction that takes place when a person or group is isolated and/or shut in, in a small space, with nothing to do, for an extended period.”  Every year since we moved here to Idaho Falls we get cabin fever.  It usually starts snowing here in October and doesn’t stop until April.  Leaving us pretty much stuck inside for that period of time. Cabin fever usually starts to set in around January and into February.  Some of the symptoms (again according to Wiki) are “restlessness, irritability, irrational frustration with everyday objects, forgetfulness, laughter, excessive sleeping, distrust of anyone they are with, and an urge to go outside even in the rain, snow or dark.”

To break up some of the monotony we’ll go on short trips or do something fun for a day.  A couple of weeks ago I was able to take my kids and go to Boise for a day.  My mom was there with my nieces and we went swimming a “Givens Hot Springs”.  Of course I forgot my camera and don’t have any pictures of that fun trip.  It was the best medicine for my cabin fever.  I not only got to get out for a while but I also got to see my mom.  It was like killing two birds with one stone, cabin fever and homesickness.

After a few weeks the cabin fever starts to set in again.  I start to feel restless and irritable. I just want to get out and do something.  In the past week our lows were around -15 degrees Fahrenheit and the highs were not much higher.  I feel like I’m just going to snap.  Then we have a day like today.  It was around 27 degrees Fahrenheit.  The kids suggested we go sledding.  So that’s what we did.  We packed the kids and sleds up and drove out to a new (new to us) sledding hill.  Because it has been so cold the snow was pretty icy.  That made the sleds go really fast.  We had so much fun.  I’m sure my tushy is going to regret it tomorrow but at least the cabin fever is gone for a while.  The boys really liked going over the jumps and Preston really caught some air.  Corey went to take a picture of him going up but the batteries in the camera ran out.  After going up and down the hill 5 or 6 times my body was telling me that was enough.  So Sophia, Corey, and I sat in the back of the truck and watched as the boys went down.  It was nice just to be outside and enjoying the scenery.  It wouldn’t be a sledding trip if we didn’t have some hot cocoa afterward.  We really enjoyed our day out.

Preston at bottom of hill

Preston at bottom of hill

Preston about to go over the jump

Preston about to go over the jump

Levi in his green saucer

Levi in his green saucer

Sophia in the back of the truck

Sophia in the back of the truck

Me in the truck

Me in the truck