Family Pictures

My awesome cousin once again took our family pictures before she moved out to Cali to be with her boy toy. Thankfully, she was able to squeeze us in before she left.

This was the best family picture sesh ever. Even though most of us match (except Kenna). It totally wasn't planned. I figured I would make things easy and just dress the kids in what they normally where, let Brent pick out whatever and then I would wear something I had as well. Then we went to a park, and took the pictures. It was probably only a half hour long and I LOVE the turn out. Damn we are a good looking family!!!!

(is this not the best picture EVER!?)

Wigged out.

Makenna is obsessed with Tangled (as most of you have probably witnessed). She used to try and get me to make a blanket stay on her head so she could use it for her long Rapunzel hair. It never stayed on, and it drove both of us crazy... her, because it wouldn't stay on, and her whining because it never would stay on drove me nuts. Then. I had an idea. And this is what I came up with.


Trashy?! Possibly a little. But let me tell you. This wig has many hours of play in it already. She wears it daily (all day), hangs it up at night on her headboard, and even kisses it before she goes to bed. She has put it through monkey bars to swing on it, wears it in the stores (when I'm in a good mood), etc. She once took it to her cousins house and lost it. Unfortunately. I have never seen her cry that hard in my life. She SOBBED for over a hour. SOBBED. She could barely talk after I finally calmed her down. I'm surprised she fell asleep that night. I was laughing so hard. After another one was made, the first one was found (that's how it always goes). So she is STOKED that she has two.

She slides down her hair on the couch (funny huh?!)

Easter once again.

Easter weekend was so much fun! It started off with dying eggs at home... Kenna liked it, Gavin LOVED it. He was so sad when there were no more eggs to color. Or paint (he kept correcting me).

I'm standing on my tip toes... he is crouching

After, we had the annual Staheli Family Easter picnic. And as usual, it was a lot of fun.

It is always a good time, and you never know who is going to be there... literally, half of the time, I don't know half the people that come to it. But they are always nice and make some killer dutch oven potatoes, so I don't care who comes!!! We ate, ate, and ate some more. It was SO freaking good. These pictures are out of order... but I'm too lazy to fix them. Sorry.

Some of the people getting ready for the hunt.

One of Gav's best buddies.

Such divas.

What kid doesn't love climbing on hay stacks.

And jumping from them.

Yes, I know my extra chin makes me look super old.

My grandpa convinced McKenzi and I to get back on "a good horse".

Little story. When we were four or five, my grandpa got us on a "good, old horse" that never spooked or bucked. Needless to say, we ended up on the ground when the horse got scared... we haven't really been on a horse since. So we figured we would try it again. We went around twice and the horse started backing up so we got off. We were proud of ourselves.

As you can see (I think we were saying naughty words at this point)

This is how we all felt by the end of our excursion. Isn't that hilarious?!

Sunday was great as well... we woke up like normal (meaning I was yelling at everybody to get ready for church for 45 minutes), coming home, me yelling some more (I'm really good at it right now) and then us having a relaxing rest of day, a dinner at the in laws and then home for bed (thankfully)....

Garlic Herb Chicken con Broccoli.

Well, I'm not a very good promiser (I know, not a word) and haven't posted in a while. Anyway, here is another meal idea. If you want the original recipe click here. But, if I were you, I wouldn't follow it straight up. Here is why. The sauce has hardly any flavor if followed that way. I have been craving garlic (can PMS make you crave it?!) and maybe that is why I wasn't loving it at first. But I fixed it, and my familia ended up LOVING the food.

Oh, and double the recipe. For the chickens sake. Here is my new and improved version.

Garlic Herb Chicken con Broccoli

1 lb. chicken breasts with seasonings (1-2 tsp. dried basil, parsley and rosemary; 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes; salt and pepper to taste. Rub into chicken breasts. I just estimated the amount of seasonings)
2 tsp. olive oil
4 oz. dry pasta (I used medium shells)
1 c. heavy whipping cream
6 T. butter
6 tsp. minced garlic (if not more)
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 c. fresh broccoli florets
salt and pepper to taste (you will most likely want lots)
2 T. grated Parmesan cheese

Cook chicken in olive oil until done and browned. Set aside.

Cook pasta. Drain.

Stir butter and garlic in saucepan. Cook until garlic caramelizes. Add cream and cornstarch and stir on medium heat until thickened. Add pasta. Stir in chicken and broccoli and simmer until noodles are done.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste.

Divinie Breadsticks (super easy to make)

1 ½ cups warm water

1 tablespoon instant yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
3 ½ cups flour (I usually use a combination of unbleached all-purpose flour and white whole wheat flour but use whatever you have on hand!)
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter, melted (for the baking sheet)

Mix all ingredients (except melted butter) in a large bowl or electric mixer and knead for three minutes. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spread melted butter onto an 11X17-inch baking sheet. Roll out the breadstick dough about 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick and cut into strips with a pizza cutter. Twist slightly if desired and place about 1/2-inch apart on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with garlic salt, herbs of choice (I vary this depending on my mood but it usually consists of rosemary, basil, or thyme in some form and crushed finely) and parmesan cheese. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise 30 minutes. Bake 15-20 minutes at 375 degrees until golden brown.

Recipe found here.

I hope you enjoy. If not, go to Olive Garden and order it. Its delish!!!

Sweet and sour chicken.

I got this recipe here. My kids love it, the husband loves it, and I love it. I have even put chunks of green pepper and onion into it, and that is delish as well. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Yum-my!!!

Sweet and Sour Chicken
Printable Version

*Note: if you like extra sauce, double the sauce ingredients – pour half over the chicken and follow the baking directions in the recipe and pour the other half in a small saucepan. Cook the sauce on the stovetop at a simmer for 8-10 minutes until it reduces and thickens. Serve it on the side of the chicken.

*Serves 4-6

Chicken:
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil

Cut boneless chicken breasts into chunks. Season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken in cornstarch and then in egg. Fry in a little oil until brown but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients (below) together and pour over chicken.

Sauce:
¾ cup sugar
4 tablespoons ketchup
½ cup vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt

Bake for one hour at 325 degrees. Turn chicken every 15 minutes so it is evenly coated with the sauce. Serve over rice.

Recipe exchange.

So, here is the deal. I am tired of looking for recipes online. And maybe some of you are as well. So I'm thinking about starting some sort of a blog with a recipe exchange. Like, you e-mail me with a favorite recipe, and I post it for all to see (I promise to post more than once a month)!? Anyway, just a thought. Any takers!? Does anybody read blogs anymore?!

2002.

DISCLAIMER: I am not looking for any self esteem boosters here. I am not posting on how big my boobs were, how many chins I had, or the wideness of my arms... or even my horrendous hair. Just look at what I'm wearing!!! If you can... if you haven't already grabbed a fork to stick in your eyes to make the burning stop! I know. It is way past bad. I just wish I still owned these clothes so I could wear them and be put up for "What Not to Wear!" I would totally win. And you (Heather) totally should still.

Anyway, I was cleaning some stuff up and I came across these pictures. Mind you... they are taken within three months of each other. THA-REE months. From the time I got engaged to when I got married. No joke. Brent actually married me looking like that. How did he even want to.... Oh never mind. And I'm sure it got way worse as the years went on. I know my weight did. Thankfully somewhere along the line, I kind of got a clue. Probably only a year ago. Maybe. Either way. Like I said... I am not here to talk about what I look like now. I'm not that vain. I just know that I look better than I did from 2002. Thankfully. And I know you are thinking the same thing. No wonder I didn't have any friends. Seriously. I didn't. And now we all know why.

Who doesnt like a 3/4 sleeve polo shirt!? (Getting engaged)

I tried the prostitute print on my honeymoon. Just to show B how wild I was/am.

Lets not even go here.

Shortalls anyone?! (Bachelorette party)

I had to throw one of my engagement pics out there, just so you all know I didn't look like total S the whole time. Just 98% of the time.

I hope you all get a good laugh out of this because Brent and I sure did.

Chore chart.

What kids like to do chores?! Mine do. Honest to all that is holy they L.O.V.E. them. Every day they ask me when they can "pick their balls out". That sounds naughty now that I type it out, but still. That's what they ask for. I started the chore chart/ball idea a few weeks ago.

It mainly started when I would end up yelling at Makenna on a daily basis to get dressed without crying. I didn't want to bribe her every morning, but it came close to it a few times. Then I was reading a blog and saw the ball idea. Therefore, I combined the two to a perfect mix for our family for this year/month/week/day.

This is how it is broken down. They have their normal "chores" every day ie. get dressed (without crying) or in Gavin's case, by himself, make bed, clean bedroom/playroom, no fits for the day, yadda yadda yadda, and then they get to "pick a ball out" (a ping pong ball with a chore vacuum, mop, empty dishwasher, that sorta thing). They get a sticker for every item they complete. If they don't get a sticker somewhere (for throwing a fit or something) they do an extra chore. At the end of the week they get their allowance which is $1.10 (the dime for tithing). Yes, I know technically they need an extra cent to pay for the dime (B & I already argued about it), but... oh well. I win and I will throw in an extra buck in our tithing once in a while to cover it. Anyway, the kids love, love it and want to do extra chores anytime they can. Its AMAZING!! Maybe I just have awesome kids. Either way, I am doing less work and its fun to watch them do it.

Tangled.

For Kenna's birthday she wanted to invite five friends... she picked them out literally six months ago, and didn't forget who she wanted to come. Therefore we had, Camryn, Mia, Parker, Jack and Ryan. Which is THE BEST GROUP EVER!

We decided to do a little Tangled party. I wasn't in the mood to throw a huge birthday party for six kids, and luckily Tangled was still playing... Brent decided to take Gavin and so my friend Heather came to help out at the movie theater!

The party started, we did cake and presents (thank you to all!) and then we headed off to the movie! They were AWESOME. I got them a huge bucket of popcorn, Heather and I each a drink and we were off. We sandwiched the kids in between us and the only two 'kids' that had to go to the bathroom were Heather and I. Seriously, none of the kids moved. I would definitely do it again in a heartbeat.

Thanks Heath for helping out! It was awesome!




Aren't they the cutest group of four/five year olds ever?!

Five.

When Gavin turns three, that means Kenna is about to turn five. And she did. And she couldn't be happier. I swear it took three years for her to turn five. We had to make chains, charts, and count almost every day until we got to January 13th.

This little miss of mine is ALL girl... and when I say that I mean complete D.R.A.M.A. The tears come at the drop of a hat, she is super happy, and then super grumpy five minutes later... I hope that she gets all of our hormonal problems out BEFORE she is a teenager. Or I am in for it. Because I don't like doing the drama. Oh well, at least she is so sweet and the biggest help ever. She loves to do chores and be responsible. She told me the other day she can't wait to be a grown-up. I hope she just enjoys being five.

According to her, by 3:00 that afternoon, she told me she was having a rough day and that it wasn't that great! I'm not sure why. We took her to McDonald's for breakfast, she played at her friends house, and then we took her to Fiesta Fun, and then Pizza Factory. She didn't let us forget the whole day that it was her birthday and she got to do whatever she wanted...

By the end of the night, she told us it was the best birthday ever!!! So I think we succeeded.

Isn't she SO big?!

Her "Tangled" cake.

Three.

My baby is three. And he is the cutest, sweetest, craziest, laziest, naughtiest little boy ever. I can't get enough of him... actually, that's a lie. Most days I can't get enough of him... but some days, I wish I could sell him to the highest bidder... or the lowest. Either way, I love him to death.

It goes without saying how fast time goes by, but I wish it would slow down long enough for me to enjoy more time with him. I swear by the time we crawl out of bed and get ready for the day, its lunch time (seriously) and then we usually do errands, dinner and bed! No time to sit down and play all day. I don't know how you people with more than two kids do it...

He now undresses and dresses himself, can open the fridge (this is a big one for him) and can even get in the car and buckle most of his car seat. It seems like Kenna was doing things a little earlier, but I think Brent and I both baby him WAY too much. And he milks it for all its worth. Some days he will sit on the couch and ask me to get his blanket off of the floor. When I tell him to get off the couch to get it he says, "I can't... see" and then reaches his arms out and acts like he is trying. It's hilarious.

He L.O.V.E.S. to bug his sister and her friends. I can't believe that boys are honestly born with the "pestering" gene. He knows EXACTLY what to do to make her cry. And then he laughs. He laughs a lot. Especially when he gets in trouble. I know I am in for it. But for now, I'm going to enjoy him as much as possible.

Relaxing for his birthday

His Buzz cake (I know it looks kind of retarded)

Eating yogurt!!!