Cooking Adventures

Lasagna Soup

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

Cookie Dough Brownies

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cookies

Cheddar Cheese Chicken

Chocolate Chip Brownie Batter Cookies

Thanks to Pinterest, I have broadened my horizons in the cooking area. I decided to try a new recipe for dinner as well as a new dessert every Thursday. I am not even going to take into consideration whether it is healthy or not. I want to expand my kids taste buds and have them experience new flavors. I know Aiden will at least try most things once. Brynlee, on the other hand, doesn't try anything. But I will keep trying. These are things that I have made so far. They were absolutely amazing.
Tonight we experianced the Lasagna soup and the chocolate chip brownie batter cookies. It was fun to try and make them at the same time. The soup was awesome and the cookies were even more heavenly. The soup however, was a low fat recipe, but the cookies definitely made up for it. I did get the recipe for the red velvet cake cheesecake off Pinterest as well that I posted a month ago.
I figured why post things in a board if I'm not going to apply them to my life. I can't just be a wishful person.
My kids have a favorite thing so far that I learned and that was putting a snack box both in the fridge and in the pantry full of healthy snacks that they can just grab themselves. Aiden is constantly telling me how much he loves it. I love that people have come up with websites that can better all of our lives.

Making Note

This wonderful little boy of mine told me this morning that he was writing down every time I said a bad word. I was a little shocked by the comment and asked what he meant. He said that he was making note every time I said a bad word and then he pulled out a blank piece of paper with one check mark on it. He told me that every time I said a bad word that he was going to put a check mark.
I admit that I swear sometimes and even around my kids. I am definitely not proud of it, but unfortunately it is a bad habit I have to break (just add it to the list) and one habit that has gotten a lot worse over the last year. You can judge if you want, but nobody is perfect. However, I have a little boy that likes to remind me not to swear or say "bad" words (which I'm not sure what he means by that). Sometimes he tells me that I owe him a dollar every time I swear. He makes it sound like I swear ALL the time, which I don't. However, it is making an impact on his life. I am posting this because I have a little boy that pays attention to stuff like that he is a very good reminder for me to shape up. I know what some of you are thinking "GOOD FOR HIM" It is very humbling to have my 6 year old tell me he is giving me a check mark every time I say a bad word. Well my goal is to have no check marks on his piece of paper. I think Heavenly Father uses our kids to remind us to do better sometimes. I am so grateful for my Aiden.

HOLY COW

This is my 8 month old baby thinking she is big enough to stand all by herself. ARE YOU KIDDING ME! My other kids did not even think about doing that until they were at least 13 months and then walked at 14 months. And just because I want to savor Kynzee's baby hood, she is going to grow up too fast and do things earlier then the others. This makes me very sad.

"Don't Take A Picture of ME"

Bryn got a hold of our camera and started snapping pictures of EVERYTHING, but when Ben took it away from her and started taking pictures of her, she screamed " DON'T you dare take pictures of ME DADDY!!!"

Mom and Dad's House

This is my mom and dad's house. It has been a month today since they broke ground. We are so excited for them. It is located in west point just 3 miles from where we live. And with it being almost 5000 sq ft, it will finally be big enough to fit all of us (I hope). My parents have waited so long to build a house, although it is not my mom's dream house, it is pretty close. They are the most amazing people and they deserve this.

So Big

All in one day, Kynzee decided to crawl, pull herself up to things and furniture, and walk along it. She hasn't figured out how to get down from the standing position so she just starts crying. I think I am going to have my hands full with her. I have been so lucky with Aiden and Brynlee. They never got into anything but the DVD's. Kynz is already all over the place. This is her trying to watch the TV.

Umm Let Me Think

This is how I found Bryn sleeping when I went and checked on her and Aiden the other night. So silly.

Suck it UP

This is what Aiden was doing when I told him to vacuum. I normally wouldn't think this was funny cause it is just germy, but his cheeks are so flimsy that it looked absolutely hilarious.

Welcome 2012

I think we have entered 2012 with a BANG!!!
We have been waiting over three weeks to hear if Ben was getting a big promotion at work. We have kept it to ourselves (except close family).
Maverik has been redoing some of the departments in their corportate office, including the IT department, which Ben was their head guy. The decided to open up a manager and a supervisor position. In Maverik, the supervisor is over the managers, which is opposite from most companies. Ben's boss (the supervisor over IT) told Ben he had to apply because he could really use his expertise in this position better then anyone else.
Ben has done SOOOOO well in the IT department that the executive people have requested that he open the new stores in the other states (hence why he was out of town a TON last year). He can always find a way to solve any problem they are having even if it means rigging internet wires on the roof or leaving his personal lap top at a store in Washington until the new one arrives that isn't broken. He has just kicked butt this year and impressed EVERYONE.
When this position came open, Ben jumped at it. There was going to be a manger and a supervisor position open. The supervisor position being his preference. He has never held such a title but was determined to try. His IT supervisor wanted him to get the job so bad that he talked Ben up even more. The guy over these two positions was very nervous what others would think and feel because Ben would be skipping 2 ranks. (going from just a lead IT to a supervisor, that skips fuel and the manager position).
When Ben was interviewed the first time for the job, they gave him homework and wanted him to write essays. He was the only one that got a second interview with one of the owners of Maverik.
Three weeks later, he brought me a rose (2 days ago) and told me they finally told him he GOT THE JOB! There are so many perks in this position for all of us. This will help Ben grow so much. Both in his leadership abilities and his technical expertise. Ben finally gets his own office, they give him a car and the latest smart phone. He also gets a HUGE raise, bonuses and every year the supervisors and managers get a full trip paid for to some exotic adventurous place. This year will probably be Thailand. I guess we're getting passports YAHOO.
Hopefully now I can just look for a part time job and be a mom to my little kiddos. This is probably the best thing that has happened to our family as a whole in the almost 9 years we have been married. Life is starting to look up and I hope it will continue to be an amazing year.
2011 brought joy with the birth of our amazing baby, but without giving the details, the rest SUCKED. So I welcome a new and exciting change for us with open arms. Thank you to all of you for your countless prayers, love and support. We could never survive without you.

Primary

Today was Brynlee's first day in primary. I wish I could say it was a good experience for us but it was the complete opposite. She cried and screamed the whole time " This is NOT my class!" Ben stayed in primary with her the whole time hoping that she would get used to it and let him go, but she wouldn't. She either cried to go home or cried to him to take her to her class. Bryn loved nursery. She cried if she missed it, which was most of the time. I have a huge issue with our ward and the nursery. Most nursery's post signs on the door as to remind parents not to bring their kids if they have any signs of illness and then they name them, but ours does not. So to avoid illnesses as per her doctors recommendation, we avoid the nursery around this time of year especially. But for as often as she hasn't gone, she has learned tons of songs that she randomly sings often. What shocked me about her reaction today, was that they usually prepare the nursery kids that are about to enter primary by having them go in the last 30 min or so weeks before the big change. They did not do that this time when I asked. That probably would have saved us the tantrums today if they had prepared the kids better. She was not the only one freaking out. I really hope it gets better. Bryn has a very stubborn streak (much like her mom) and it takes her a while to want to do something sometimes. When I asked her if she liked her class today she replied with "absolutely NOT!" I was sad. But as with most preschoolers, they get over things pretty fast so hopefully that will happen in this case.

Red Velvet Adventure

I have been wanting to attempt to make a red velvet cheesecake cake for a very long time, especially after my dear sister-in-law brought me one from the Cheesecake Factory (which I totally cried over, I was so happy). I am totally in love with ALL cheesecakes and I am up for trying any new recipe. Thanks to google and pintrest, I found a recipe for the red velvet cheesecake. However, as I was reading on how to do it, I realized there was a warning that it would take 2 days to accomplish. Well I was determined to make it for a celebration cake for ME for making it 5 years in recovery. I seriously think I deserve it hehehe.
It tasted absolutely amazing. However, I will only make it probably once a year. It really did take two days and a lot of effort, but it was totally worth it. Everyone seemed to love it. So for all of you that love to spend that many days doing an amazing cheesecake here is the link to the recipe. It is way too long to post. ENJOY!!! (copy and paste in browser)

http://www.erinsfoodfiles.com/2010/04/lincolns-red-velvet-cheesecake-cake.html#.TvI0qoqyt8s.facebook