Building Blocks with Uncle David

This was supposed to be two cheesy grins...when Braden says "cheeesse" it is pretty cute. But as you can see I am the only one with the cheesy grin.

This is Braden...watching and learning from a professional block builder. I guess we should have gotten David the blocks for Christmas.

Braden sure loves his uncle dav, they had fun playing together and we had fun watching.

Cookie Dough Texture 101

I have been making these chocolate chip cookies for quite a while now...mom's "heavenly chocolate chip cookie recipe." What we grew up on and what all the neighborhood kids remember...especially Alison.

SO my point is that I know that cookie dough is about the right texture...so when you don't add enough flour you get flat paper thin cookies and if you add too much then they are hard little lumps. So finding the right balance is VERY IMPORTANT.

My mom made me the best Christmas gift ever involving some of my favorite recipes so I followed the one she wrote down, saying 4 3/4 C flour...when I knew it is more like 5-6 C of flour, but I followed what my mom wrote down. NOTE this is not my mom's fault, I mean this was asking a lot to ask my mom to write down recipes. She is one amazing chef and baker but rarely uses actual recipes..it is all in the texture, feel, and taste, etc. I should have known the texture was wrong...so after my first batch in the oven I added more flour. The second batch was much better!

Flat Cookies=not enough flour

Non-flat cookies=right amount of flour

So for those of you who want the best chocolate chip recipe ever I have included it for your testing.

Cream together

2 C butter

2 C brown sugar

1 1/2 C sugar

Add:

3 eggs

Beat until fluffy

Mix in:

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

2 T vanilla

Mix in:

5-6 C flour

1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips (for fun do half choc. and half butterscotch)

Cook at 350 degrees for 10-12 mins

Happy Baking!

Christmas Day

This was Braden's first Christmas where I think he kind of knew what was going on. So Brian walked him down the stairs so he could see the tree and the fun things Santa and his family brought him. We may have gone a little overboard, but hey, we only have one baby right now....

Braden checking out his new tiger...looks so cute in his baby jungle room. He can even sit on it, he thought it was pretty cool.

The one picture we got braden to sit through....

Uncle David looking through his stocking.

We got Braden his own little recliner....and yes it does have a foot pop out and it reclines.

He loves it.

Brian couldn't resist this one...definately a toy from a dad.

Yes he was a little spoiled this Christmas, especially since Grammy and Papa came to visit. Thanks for all the fun gifts and cut clothes for Braden, and for us.

His new puzzel book.

So since David was given the title of trash picker upper after we open gifts...this was given a long time ago, since he was little...we always get a photo of him in all the garbage. this time we tried to add in Braden, but he was not to excited about being thrown in all the paper and immediately climbed out.

Braden helped Dad put together his new toy...well install the new LCD TV...HD DVD player etc. He was just as excited as Brian.

Then mom and I began making the traditional Christmas morning breakfast:

Potato Pancakes...yummm my favorite

blueberry muffins..which my oven burnt this year...no i didn't burn them my oven did, i put the right time for the right temperature....so my dad trimmed all the burnt bottoms off..thanks dad.

sasauge links

eggs

Very tasty! My mom grew up with this breakfast too!

Then we just spent the day hanging out, napping, and watching movies.

Fun relaxing day, just what I needed.

Finally we ended with a nice Prime Rib dinner, thanks mom!

Christmas Eve

We spent Christmas Eve at Brian's parents where he ENTIRE family came...36 people for dinner! This year we learned about France and enjoyed a few French recipes. I made twice baked potatoes and a french dessert...which took me three hours to make (very involved recipe).

Braden and Elle playing with their new toys.

Braden was very excited with his new little book, and his cousin Phillip read it to him.

So this is us trying to take a family photo and Braden giving me LOTS of kisses, I couldn't get him to stop. It was so funny he just kept mushing my face off!

The happy couple.....we are all betting on an engagement soon. Melissa, Brian's little sister and Logan. He sang Oh Holy Night in French that night.

Grandpa and Grandma enjoying all the kids running around!

We had a lot of fun and then went home to open our Christmas PJs. Unfortunately, Braden fell asleep on the way home so he didn't get to open his and I didn't get to take a picture that night. We finished stuffing stockings and went to bed. My parents still on their way to Rexburg...they arrived about 4:30am.

December 19, 2009 Brian's Graduation

Congratulations Brian! Brian graduated from Brigham Young University, Idaho on December 19, 2009 with his Bachelors in Business Management/Finance. Just short of three years since he started here we are done!

In addition, to this excitement he was flown back to Spokane, WA for a final interview with Northwest FCS where he was offered a position in their year long training program as an Insurance Agent. Location: Twin Falls, ID. So Brian will be working down in Twin Falls during the week and will come home on the weekends. Not fun, but it is the best thing for our family right now until we know where a more permanent location will be.

I am so proud of Brian and ALL the hard work he put into his education so far, graduating with a 3.7 GPA he worked very hard to do so well these last three years.

We love you!

December 2009: Setting Up the Treeeeee

Braden was so excited when we pulled out the tree. He kept saying treeeeee, treeeee, treeee. Then we started decorating it and he starts saying ball, ball, ball....that was for the Christmas bulbs we hung on the tree. He was a big helper to get out our snowman set and the nativity. He gave baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph a kiss every day since we put them out.

We used this little set to help teach him the names that he would need to say in his primary program. Since our primary mainly consists of nursery age kids the families got to be part of it.

November 2009

We went to the doctor for our first appointment this month and found all was well with our little gummy bear. Here is the first ultrasound photo. My due date is June 8, 2010. This puts me just 19 days after Megan's due date. So if things go like last time with Megan being late and me being early we could have our babies very close together. Sorry mom!

For Thanksgiving this year we went to Brian's Aunt and Uncle's where most of his family joined us. Brian got the honors of carving the turkey.....gross Brian. SO this is the only photo I took, i guess I forgot! It must be the pregnancy.
Brian interviewed with a few companies this month for jobs after he graduates in December. One of which was Northwest Farm Credit Services, for an Insurance Agent position. He had his first interview this month, and we are waiting to hear if they want a second interview with him. There were about 30 BYUI students that interviewed with this company. They have offices all over the Northwest. Good luck!

October 2009

We found out we were expecting baby number two on October 1st! So this means a June baby just like we planned, yeah! But what this month also meant was morning sickness, well for me it means all day sickness. The worst of it began while on my budget retreat in Seattle, WA. Luckily it was at the end of my training with Horizon. However, there was one "fun" time with my boss....as he was driving me back to meet my sister I started feeling very sick. I mentioned to him I might need him to pull over and he kindly replied...don't worry I can do throw up, even if it is in my jeep. Gross. I couldn't get sick in his jeep. SO he did have to pull over for a bit, and then we were on our way again. Luckily before the next time we made it to a rest stop where I could make it to the bathroom. OH the joys of being pregnant...and all of this only at 7 weeks.

This continued through the rest of October, even into Halloween. I dressed up so we could take Braden out, but immediately got sick once we got home again.

So for Halloween Braden was a little monkey. He was quite cute!! Thanks to Old Navy's cute toddler costumes...and to my cute little boy. There was even a little banana in his pocket. Brian used David's batman costume, and I just dressed up as Tink again, since it is the only costume I own and I was not up for putting a new one together this month.

We stopped by Aimee's house to trick or treat and she was nice enough to take a family photo. Thanks Aim. She also gave Braden a few treats! We then went to Pizza Hut for dinner and to see Michelle who was working. Yummy dinner until I made it home that night. :(

September 2009

No we have not completely disappeared from the blogging world....just had a really busy four months. I will try to include some highlights from the last while.

Basically I entered budget season, the busiest time of year for me at work...the busy part lasts about 4 months..so yea it is done now.


Brian started his last semester at BYUI. He has gone year round with now breaks for the last three years, but did his Bachelors in record time. We are so proud of him.
This is Brian's attempt at a smile...he didn't want his picture taken. This is the first day of his last semester at BYUI.





Braden is just getting bigger and bigger and busier and busier...basically being a boy!


And to top off all that excitement we found out we are expecting baby number two. So for me this meant three months of being quite sick. The thought of food repulsing, the thought of cooking for Brian, even worse! SO here we go. A look back on the last four months. I hope to be better at this now that i am not so sick! Wish me luck!


Braden had his first dentist appointment with Dr. Hammond. Just as Brian finished his check out Dr. Hammond looked at Braden's eight little teeth. Everything looked like it was growing in nicely. Braden's favorite part was getting his new tigger toothbrush.



Braden loved smelling mommy's flowers...almost time to get rid of them, the cold weather will be here soon.

We are still working on smiling at the camera instead of grabbing for it.

Brian had to get in as much golfing as possible before the snow came. Braden loved putting in the house with Dad.

We traveled to Washington for Papa's 50th birthday. Braden doesn't look very happy...but soon as we got to eat that yummy chocolate cake he was good. Megan I need you to send me the photos you took of the party...this is where my camera broke:(

We did go to the Puyallup Fair one night with my parents, but since Braden was still to small for the rides, he will have to wait until next year to Do the Puyallup.

Braden has been climbing on our bed for quite some time now...but we just got a video of it. Since our bed is so tall it is quite the task.

I think this about wraps up September.