Road trip!

We've been on the road for two weeks. Just got back yesterday. Great fun. Really. With three little girls in the back seat for over 1400 miles--600 or so of those miles covered in ice and/or snow--we can honestly say that we had a grand time. I love the little portable DVD players. And Santa must have known we were headed out and needed him to come early. The bugger sneaked some new Barbie movies into their backpacks after I had packed them. I love Santa.

On the way back we stopped for lunch in Kellogg, Idaho. A little burger joint called Sam's. Good food. Relaxed and kid friendly without being McDonalds. And the bathrooms are clean.

So while we're waiting for our food, our five-year old is rolling around on the bench, her little stuck-in-the-car body just itching for something to do. So, I showed her this trick:



What good mother (who was the champion spoon sticker to the nose at summer camp) would NOT teach her kids how to do it?



How does that go?





Now Calla is the world's slowest eater. And she fell off the height/weight chart at about 6 months. But that was when she started moving and she hasn't stopped since. But it's meals like these that make me wonder how she stays so slender.



Yes, that is a bacon cheese burger basket with the bacon on the side. Yes, that is a little tub of butter sitting there. Grace gave it to her after she asked so sweetly. "Dace, can I has yo butter, pees?" Grace had pancakes (they serve breakfast all day).

Then she proceeds to do this:



Yes, she is buttering her burger. And yes, she proceeded to EAT it. Nearly ALL of it. I guess everything IS better with butter.

Good times. I love my kids. They are fun. Even after being stuck in the car of nearly a week.

Happy Babywearing!

Dear Santa,

Turn this paper over and see the pretty sunset and pretty house that I made by myself, that I drew with markers for you. Enjoy the yummy cookies. I know they are not your favorite cookies, but I hope you enjoy them with the milk. Jesus loves you. Merry Christmas. He loves you all the time and God made everything.

From: Grace Calla Annabelle dog Voilet and Reegan

(From the mind of a 5-year-old, transcribed by daddy on the back of her pretty picture.)

Happy Babywearing and Merry Christmas everyone!

Cutest. Nativity. Ever.

S'mores for Jesus!

Yummy Chicken. Nuff said.

Food. Sometimes there is that meal that is just divine. And to top it off, it's easy.

Tonite my husband said, "You know, I really like this. I think you could make it every night and I wouldn't get tired of it" as he was picking every last yummy piece out of the pan while I was cleaning up the rest of dinner.

We call it Yummy Chicken--the recipe was actually called Indian Summer Chicken.

A note on my recipe--I'm a "little of this and a little of that" type cook. It sometimes drives my almost type-A husband crazy. But he really likes this dish--and it always turns out yummy.

Brown some chicken breasts. Then throw in some chicken broth (like a can) a glug or two of white wine and a can of stewed tomatoes--or any tomatoes really. Stewed, canned whole, canned diced, fresh, whatever. Tomato sauce would probably work well, too. Simmer that for about 30 minutes. Toss in some basil--fresh if you've got it. And serve. Yummy chicken. We have it with wild rice blend and a salad. And even the girls eat it all up.

Pure bliss in a dish.

Tell you what . . .

. . . my husband says to the girls tonite WELL after their bedtime.

You two just stay in your beds and stay awake all night. If you can do that I'll give you a dollar.

Really?

Yes. If you stay in your bed and stay awake all night, I'll give you a dollar.

But I can't stay awake that long.

Well, if you go to sleep in the next 5 minutes, I'll give you two dollars.

(10 minutes later)

I think I owe Grace two dollars.

And Calla pooped her pants.

Love my mom friends!

Some tidbits from today:

Bread is the underwear of the kitchen. -Lisa. We love Lisa.

They've got boobs in there and they're not afraid to use them! -Kate *warning* the men working in the garage that there are nursing moms in the house and they should enter at their own risk. Poor guys.

I'm glad my husband approves of my friends.

Chopsticks

Last night a friend took the girls to a Japanese restaurant. It was one of those ones where the chef comes to your table and cooks and throws food and knives (just what my almost 3-year-old needs to see). They had a grand time.

And they came home with chopsticks. This morning Grace tried them again.