Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! This year Emma got to go to the mall and meet Santa! She was so excited and sooo good while we waited a little over an hour in line. She sat on his lap and told him what she wanted for Christmas (a bike) and then took a picture for us. She was so besides herself when it was over. So excited she had met Santa and he knew who she was. When Christmas came she set out the traditional milk and cookies and was super syked to find it was gone the next morning. And did she get that bike? Oh yes she did! :)

Our Christmas was a ton of fun at home this year. I will post as soon as I can get the pics onto the computer. Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!

Thanksgiving

Our Thanksgiving was nice and quiet for the most part. We flew up to Quincy, WA to spend Thanksgiving with my Mom's new husband and family. We flew out on Wednesday afternoon and knew it would be crazy at the airport, but it wasnt too bad. That was until our flight was delayed by an hour and a half. And then to top it off, when we went to land in Pasco, we almost touched down and then immediatly were going back up into the air again. The entire plane was like, "What just happened?" The pilot got on and said there was too much ice to land. We were going to circle around one more time, but if we couldn't land we would be redirected to Redmond, OR. So of course quess what happened....we ended up in Redmond. It gets better...this airport was closed. The only person there was the guy in the tower. They had to call people in to fuel the plane and get the gate open. We ended up sitting in the airplane on the tarmack for about 2 hours and were then told they cleared the airstrip in Pasco and we could go back. So we headed back to Pasco and finally landed about 5 hours later than scheduled. They didnt feed us or anything. We couldnt get off the plane. We were all pretty mad about the whole thing. My poor mom was sitting in Pasco just waiting to see what would happen. When we finally got there we headed straight for whatever food place was open and then drove to Quincy(2hr drive). We didnt get there until about 1am, 7 hours later than we should have. What a fiasco! But the rest of the weekend was very nice. We woke up the next morning to the smell of food and the kitchen in a bustle. We ate a yummy traditional meal, played the Wii, watched movies, and just vegged out and visited with everyone. On Friday we got to go out and see the little town of Quincy and we drove 30 minutes to the closest town to go to a Walmart and to see a family movie. We saw Tangled. Very cute, but the theater was just hysterical. It could only hold 4 movies and doubled as a conference center so there were stages in front of the screens. So funny. And the theater could hold maybe 40 people at once. After the movie we went to this little restaurant and had buffalo burgers. It was yummy, but truthfully tasted very much like a normal hamburger. :) We got a little snow while we were there. Very pretty. We tried to go outside and take pictures but Emma just cried that it was too cold and at one point the horses decided they wanted in the pictures too. Just didn't quite go as planned, but it was so nice and relaxing. We've had a tough month and it was nice to not think about anything and to veg out, relax, and enjoy ourselves. Lots of food too! haha! Prego lady didnt complain about that! I was stuffed the entire time! Laura made all sorts of dips, and cheese balls, and there were tons of leftovers and Laura had brought her homemade chilli which was by far the best chill ever! She's great in the kitchen. Overall, we had a great time. The flight home was totally uneventful. What fiasco could happen at Macarran? lol. And back to work by Monday. So tough after 5 days off. :) We hope everyone enjoyed there holiday with family and friends and that everyone was safe. And we are now on to Christmas. :) Happy Holidays! (sorry for the book. lol) Below is a small slideshow of our weekend.

Its a boy!

Little profile. Looks just like Emma's did.

Peek a boo! I'm a boy!

Little Foot. :)

On Wednesday we found out that we are having a baby boy! We are excited! Now we will have one of each. We can now move forward and start thinking about names and baby bedding. :) We have 4 months or so to decide but it will be here before ya know it! We are now getting ready to welcome our baby boy! Woot!

Happy Halloween!

This has been a very fun year for October. I absolutely love fall! The weather in Vegas is so nice in October and we actually have had a decent amount of rain. And of course there is one of my favorite holidays...Halloween! We put up our decorations on the last day of Sept! haha. We have done fun things all month, but this last week, for Emma and Halloween Week, I have made fun dinners by doing things like Spooky Pizzas, Mummy Dogs, Jack-O-Latern Grilled Cheese, and desserts like Carmel apples, Halloween shaped sugar cookies, and creepy cupcakes. Emma originally wanted to be Kristine from Phantom of the Opera but when we were at Walmart one day she saw an Alice in Wonderland costume. From then on, Kristine who? So Emma was a very cute Alice in Wonderland. Not hard to pull off when she is a little girl and blonde. :) She had a great time and went to two Trunk-R-Treats. More candy than she will ever know what to do with at once! (and more than we will ever let her eat. lol) To go along with Emma's costume I decided our trunk for our ward trunk r treat would be Wonderland. Phil dressed up like the Madd Hatter and I was the Queen of Hearts. I made a little tea party in the trunk and we played the tea party "Unbirthday" song from the Disney version (we werent going for the new stuff). It turned out pretty cute and got alot of compliments. Emma ran around with her other friend Emma from primary. She had a great Trick or Treat. Today is actually Halloween and it is on Sunday, so no door to door, but to keep up the spirit of things we are decorating sugar cookies, watching Monster House, and tonight for fun, we will be having hot chocolate with spooky eyes(marshmellows with Chocolate chips in them.) So to all...Hapy Haunting! On a side note...how quick were the retail stores to dump their halloween stuff and have their Christmas stuff up by Wednesday this week? lol! On to November I guess!

Phil's Birthday!

Tuesday was Phil's 31st Birthday and we hope he had a great day! Last year we were moving and didn't get to do anything for his 30th which was kinda crappy, so this year I decided to make it a bit more entertaining. Emma and I decided it would be fun to take a birthday cake to Daddy at work and suprise him. Yes he was suprised! That was fun. Then when he came home from work we suprised him again by taking him out to dinner at Cheesecake Factory(one of his favs). Afterward we went back home to have cake, sing Happy Birthday, and give him our presents. I KNOW he liked his gifts. Rachel and Jared bought Phil new white Sambas(shoes) that he has been pining away for. I bought him a pair of jeans he really needed and two new shirts. We also got him Iron Man 2. Jared got Phil a PS2 game and Phil's boss gave him a card and $50. I think Phil made off like a bandit this year! We tried to make his day special and spoil him on his day in the spotlight. Hope you had a great day Phil! Happy Birthday!

Last trip for a while...

For our 11 year anniversary we decided we wanted to take Emma to Disneyland and to the beach. It was our last chance since I am pregnant and due in the spring when we would normally go. We had four days in the beautiful sun. The weather was soooo nice! We went to Disneyland with my sister Rachel and her boyfriend Jared. It was a Friday and wasn't busy at all. We walked on almost every ride. I think our longest wait was 30 minutes. Emma got to see Ariel, Princess Tiana, Mickey mouse, Minnie Mouse, Alice in Wonderland and the Queen of hearts, Peter pan and Wendy, and Goofy. We went on every ride she was able to go on. We went on Pirates twice! :) She even rode Thunder Mountain. The only thing we missed out on was The Haunted Mansion since they were getting ready for the Haunted Halloween Disney throws. We ate Churros, and pretzels, and of course had a huge turkey leg before the firework show. Yumo! We all had a great time and Emma was asleep in the car before we were out of the parking lot. The next day we relaxed, went to the beach, ate very yummy grilled cheese and tomato sandwhiches made by Uncle Russ. We watched Nascar and soccer, and Emma played and played and played! Sunday we slept in, ate lunch at Ruby's Diner on the pier and headed home leisurely. We had a really good time and enjoyed our little family. It will be a while before we get to do another fun getaway and we ate the time up! Below are two little slideshows of our trip.

Emma's Dance Class

This Tuesday was Emma's first dance class. She was so cute! Saying she was excited may not quite cover it. She has been trying on her ballet and tap shoes all week and asking if its Tuesday yet. So when the day finally came she was more than enthusiastic to go! :) We got her dressed into her leotard and tights and set off to class. When we arrived, the other class was just finishing so Emma got a sneak peak. It was your standard room with mirrors, ballet bars, and wooden floors. And of course, little girls! From the moment the music began, Emma did just what the teacher did or said. You'd never have known it was her first class and she just danced her heart out! When the hour was up and the class dismissed, Emma wasn't ready to go. She kept telling me there was more and tried to stay through the next class. I had to drag her away. She had such an awesome time! :) I have some pictures I need to upload from the camera and get a few videos loaded, but we are having technical difficulties so I'll get those up asap. The only pics available were from my phone. Sorry for the blur! :)

Chicken or Shrimp, Spinach, and Cheese Tortellini Dinner

This is a yummy and simple pasta dish! Only takes a few minutes to prepare and its healthy!

To Prepare:

Cook tortellini according to package directions. Drain.

In a large saucepan combine the italian dressing, garlic, diced tomatoes, and cheese. Bring to a boil. Add cooked chicken (or shrimp). Simmer. Then add in the spinach and simmer until slightly wilted. Then add tortellini and toss to coat.

Add additional cheese and serve! I served this dish with a salad and garlic bread. Yumo!

Ingredients listed below.

Chicken (or shrimp), Spinach, and Tortellini Dish:

2 to 3 cups cooked and chopped chicken, or 1 pound cooked shrimp

1 can petite diced tomatoes, unseasoned

1 and 1/2 cup spinach, torn

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup Kraft Roasted Red Pepper and Parmesean Italian dressing

2tbsp grated parmesan cheese

1 family size package of cheese tortellini

Lookin for a new recipe to try? How about homemade lettuce wraps with fried rice and eggrolls served with sweet chilli suace!

Homemade Fried Rice:
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cups long grain white rice, cooked
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 egg beaten
any vegetables you like such as peas, carrots, zuchinni, onion, mushrooms, etc.
chicken, beef, or shrimp (optional)

In a saucepan or wok, heat oil and cook vegetables. Cook about 3 to 4 minutes stirring occasionally.
Stir in chicken, beef, or shrimp at this point if desired. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in rice, soysauce, and egg. Cook 2 to 3 minutes until egg is set and meat is heated thru.


TERIYAKI TURKEY LETTUCE WRAPS:
1 pound ground turkey
One 10 oz bag shredded carrots (I did my own, about a cup)
4-5 scallions, thickly sliced (I used green onion , 2-3)
1/3 Cup store bought teriyaki marinade/sauce
1 head iceburge lettuce, leaves rinsed and separated.

In a large skillet, head 1 tbsp olive oil, add the ground turkey and cook about 4 minutes.
Add carrots and scallions. Lower heat, stir in 1/4 water and the teriyaki sauce.
Simmer til vegetables are soft.
Divide the mixture among lettuce leaves, about 1/4 cup per roll. Serve immediately.

Egg Rolls:

I got the eggrolls above as a gift from a lady I work with. They are in the frozen section of the grocery store. (Yes its sort of cheating, but hey, they are just as yummy and saves you a load of time!) All I did was heat about 2 to 3 cups of vegetable oil in a skillet and when the oil was hot and ready, add the egg rolls to the oil and cook until golden. Make sure you have enough oil in the pan so they float just a little and make sure not to burn the oil. Stay at Med to low heat. Serve the egg rolls with a sweet chili sauce sold in the Asian section of the grocery store. Any brand works!

Bon Appetit!

Rachel caught Emma playing and singing and snuck up on her to catch the video. Takes Emma a moment to figure out she is being watched. And her reaction to being caught? Hide of course!

(Sorry the Video is tilted! It was a camera phone!)

Masquerade Dance by Emma

This is Emma teaching Mommy how to dance to the Phantom of the Opera's "Masquerade." She loves Phantom of the Opera! She can watch it over and over(to the point we can no longer take it. lol). She knows all the words, and as you can see in the clip has nominated a dress-up as her Christine dress. She has also announced that she will be Christine for Halloween. You can catch her around the house playing and singing "Think of Me" or "Angel of Music." I love that she loves the music and am having fun watching her enjoy it. I am currently trying to catch a clip of her singing as well. Stay tuned...Emma is a hard one to catch if she knows you have a camera! lol.

Our 4th of July Weekend!

For the Fourth of July weekend we went to California and visited my Aunt Gaye and Uncle Russ. My Mom met us there(her idea originally) and we all spent the weekend together watching Nascar, World Cup soccer, going to the beach, and on the morning of the 4th, we went to a parade! It ran just down the street Russ' son lives on. There were floats, military vehicles, marching bands, horses, buggies, flags, red, white, and blue! It was Emma's first parade. She had a blast on Daddy's shoulders waving her flag. It was a lot of fun! We headed home on the fourth since Phil had to work Monday. We got back just as the neighborhood was alight with fireworks. The street behind us must have spent $5000 on fireworks! They were huge and oh so illegal(my favorite kind. ahaha). and they went on forever. We had our own little pack and some sparklers, but we pretty much just sat in our front yard enjoying everyone else's. We had such a good time! I love the 4th! See the next two posts that go with this one. One post only holds so much. lol

The Beach!

Who goes to California and does not go to the beach?? On Saturday we went to Huntington Beach near the pier, and of course it was packed! We had a little lunch picnic on a blanket in the warm sun and watched people flying kites and boogy boarding. Emma had a blast running around in the waves and catching those little sand crabs. We showed her how to catch them with her bucket and she had about 8 when we finally convinced her it was time to release them back into the surf. We made a sand castle too, complete with mote. When we were tired and done(4 hours later!) we headed back to Gaye's to rinse of the ten tons of sand encasing our bodies. But Oh what fun!

Friday Night Bonfire!

It has always been a tradition when we visit Gaye and Russ to do a bonfire at the beach. Since it was the Friday before the 4th of July we expected to have to get there very early and hunt down an available firepit. We packed up some water and sodas, a blanket and some chairs, and headed out early to find a pit. While the sun was still out and warm, we let Emma get her feet wet and hunt for sea shells. Then we decided to sit on the blanket and relax, Phil put some wood in the pit not realizing at first that the white ash at the bottom was still Hades hot from a fire the night before. The wood he put in started to smoke and we realized that the embers were slowly igniting the wood. It smoked for about 2 hours and just before everyone else showed up, it finally got enough air to catch fire. Russ always jokes that he has a record of starting the fire with only one match, so the rest of the night we teased Russ that Phil one upped him and started the fire with Zero matches. :)

Independence Day Spirit

I am a HUGE fan of photography and I came aross these photos that hit my patriotic heart. :) When I was a kid my parents threw these humungous 4th of July parties in the front yard. We'd spend all day in the pool, we'd BBQ, and then we'd head out front for the fireworks. All the neighborhood families and friends would come and camp out with blankets and lawn chairs, and everyone had to bring a dessert item and fireworks to contribute to the pile. We would be out there for hours! Now, whenever I think of 4th of July, I think of those nights full of juicy watermellons dripping down our chins, warm gooey brownies, little waving flags, kids running around with sparklers, laughter, and loud crackling fireworks. I love this holiday because it reminds me of a part of my childhood and it makes me feel like a kid again, but more importantly, it makes me feel proud everytime I see a waving flag or see a firework stand. Happy Birthday America! (now think of the song "I Am Proud To Be An American)... Have a safe and Happy Holiday weekend!

Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day Phil! This year Emma and I had some fun putting together a BBQ basket complete with BBQ apron made by Emma(stamped with handprints for love) and a dozen or so miscellaneous BBQ items. I also made him a "movie night" basket complete with two new movies, popcorn, and a "big hunk" candybar for my big hunk. :) Emma also made him a tie with her picture on it at church and a cookie that looked like a shirt and tie, but when asked if it was daddy's she said no, it was hers! lol. Inherited daddy's sweet tooth.

For the afternoon, we visited and had lunch with my Dad. Then we spent the evening with Phil's Dad and family and had a yummy BBQ. When dinner was done we all watched Girls Just Wanna have Fun. Lol. Not very manly huh? Good use of Phil's new tools though since the dinner was a BBQ!

We are so thankful for the wonderful fathers in our lives and we are so lucky to have Phil! He is a wonderful husband and father. He has a great sense of humor and keeps us on our toes. He makes me laugh even when things are tough. Emma simply adores him! Her Daddy is awesome! We are so blessed that he holds the priesthood and that he loves us too. We Love Him so Much!

Happy Father's Day Sweetheart!