Saint Patricks Day

Being on a Saturday this year, the kids didn't as many festivities at school for Saint Patricks Day but we did have fun on our rainy day at home. We put up a few decorations and got the corned beef cooking in the crock pot. We later added steamed cabbage and Irish soda bread to the meal. We invited the girls next door to come over to help us make Leprachaun houses and playgrounds and watch a movie and jump in the bounce house that we set up in the garage (since it was raining outside). It was a fun day.

My Big 8 Year Old!

Gavin turned 8!

He had a fun Carnival birtday party with tons of games (requiring tickets) and prizes galore and balloons and a candy-walk. Albert barbequed hot dogs for the kiddos and steak for the dads and Linnea's sweet friends came to help run the carnival games. It was a ton of work but a blast too!

Gavin has been so excited about turning eight and he wanted to know just what time he was actually born (4:30 a.m.) and the details of his birth. I thought it was cute that he wanted to know about that. (: He woke up on the morning of his birthday and said, "Mom, I feel the same!" I asked him, "Did you think you would feel different? Did you think you would feel older or wiser?" Cute huh. He is my bundle of happy energy but not overly so. He is very mature. He asks mature questions and speaks in a way so that I know he is thinking beyond his years. He is also very compassionate. One of his teachers at school just called me recently even and talked of how much she loved her time with him and how impressed she was at his sincere compassion for others. He is kind and sweet and so talented! He has talents in music and writing and reading and athletics. He has always astounded those around him watching him play any sport. It's been fun to be the mom of the "star" of the team. He most importantly has a sweet testimony of Jesus Christ and he wants to be baptized and wants to serve a mission someday. He more often then not, goes up and bares his testimony to the hundreds of people in the congregation on Fast Sunday. I feel so blessed to have this boy in my life. I'm sure that I learn more from him then he does from me. I love my big eight year old and am so happy that he will be baptized tomorrow!

Jacen's 16th Birthday Celebrations

We threw a surprise party for Jacen and invited the church youth group. He was totally surprised! They played capture-the-flag and then ate pizza and watched some tv and played some catch phrase.

We always go out to dinner for a birthday, a tradition started by Grampa Neufeld, and so Jacen chose Sapporos. He ordered Black Dragon sushi and then a steak. Live it up Jacen! (We don't eat much meat at all at our house.)

They sang and played for Jacen. That is always fun.

We came home after and had cheesecake.

My Baby turns 16!

We have loved watching Jacen grow up into a good young man. We are so proud of him and his accomplishments and for being the good person that he is. We love you so much Jacen!

My Favorite Dessert Lately

Really Yummy Recipe

So it all started when my Mom went to take some things to my sister's house and she wasn't home so my Mom went inside to leave them and smelled this really yummy smell coming out of Tera's crock pot. She tasted it and then came to my house and told me that I really wanted that recipe. So of course I had to get the recipe and then made it yesterday and I. Love. It. I just love finding really good and healthy recipes and when they can be vegetarian on top of that... Yay! And it's super easy and can be done in the crock pot--definitely a plus. So click here for the recipe. The only changes I made was adding two cans of chilies instead of three (for my kids sake--two were perfect) and threw it all in the crock pot rather than sauteing first. And I didn't add the chicken. It was totally fine without it. We also sprinkled avocado on top. Avocado makes everything better! Just ask my teenager. Anyhow, try it and tell me what you think!

Ginger Veggie Stir Fry

My parents were coming to dinner and I wanted to make something good and vegetarian because I'm just not liking to eat meat these days and I found this recipe and tried it. I loved it! I've made it several times since. It's easy and one can use pretty much any vegetables they happen to have and so flavorful! I love fresh ginger so I used that generously in this dish.

Ingredients
1 T. cornstarch
1 1/2 cloves garlic (I doubled this)
2 t. chopped fresh ginger (divided) - (I at least doubled this)
2 c. broccoli florets
1/2 c. snow peas
3/4 c. julienne carrots
2 T. soy sauce
1/2 c. green beans
2 1/2 T. water (I needed more like 4 or 5 T.)
1/4 c. chopped onion
salt to taste

In a bowl blend cornstarch, garlic, 1 t. ginger, 2 T oil until cornstarch dissolves. Mix in veggies and toss to lightly coat.
Heat 2 T. oil in skillet over medium heat. Cook veggies about 2 minutes stirring constantly. Stir in soy sauce and water. Mix in onion, salt and remaining ginger. Cook til veggies are tender but still slightly crisp.
Serve over brown rice.
I made once with chicken diced up and added and diced, marinated tofu as well.
119 calories per serving for veggie mixture.

I have also used bell pepper and pea shoots...whatever veggies I have.

Football

Gavin LOVED playing football this year. It was his first year to play football and he did outstanding. I really don't like to watch professional sports because I feel like I don't even know those people and why would I care at all if they win or lose. But I very much enjoy watching my kids play sports.

Family Pictures

We took these family pictures in December and I'm just getting around to posting a few of them now. They were so much fun. We went to the Point Pinos Lighthouse in Pacific Grove for a look I love. Our photographer was very cool. It's so hard to get four kids to all look at a camera and smile! I'm so grateful to have yet another great family picture though.

(Micah stuck his hands in his pocket of his own accord...too funny.)

Took some of just my sweet Albert and me.

Took some individuals too.

So vintage-vibe cute! What a heart breaker!

Gavin is our ninja boy. This is so him!

Sweet Linnea. Notice how her hair is starting to curl up!?

We got a smile out of Jacen! Yay! Not an easy task to do with an almost 16 year old.

New Years Eve

We invited Tera and her kids over and started with dinner and dessert. Then I got out these crackers that I had bought for Christmas and forgotten about them. Apparently they are a UK tradition. They were fun. When you open them, they crack pretty loud and spark. Then inside are jokes and trivia and a game piece in which to play games. So we did that for a while.

Micah was kind of hesitant to open his but eventually did.

We played a guessing game that is called Some Dum Goy (a family game) that is similar to Guesstures or Catch Phrase. I think Gavin looks transparent here becuase he was jumping up and down in his excitement. The girls won. (:Sparklers...but don't tell. They are illegal here.

Then we toasted in the new year with sparkling apple cider.

Looks like Micah has had enough.... (: