Meat lovers

We salvaged a BBQ a couple weeks ago that our neighbors had left for the trash man to pick up. Here if you don't want something, just put it outside by your trash and the rubbish man will pick it up. It is amazing...chairs, shelves, coolers, tables, leaves, branches (they don't even have to be packaged in a bag). Paul was very excited. After cleaning it up it works wonderfully. We have had hamburgers, grilled veggies and hot dogs multiple times already. Eden is just like her dad...LOVES MEAT. When we sit up to the table she saids, "I want meat". She will pick out the meat and eat it first. Paul and Eden are enjoying their delicious meat!

Pumpkin Patch

Halloween dinner

We had our Halloween dinner with fun spooky food. It was lots of fun with yummy food.

Oreo Mint Truffles

1 package oreo finely crushed
1 8oz. block of cream cheese soften
Mix together and roll into balls
1 bag of Andes mints unwrapped and melted
Dip balls into chocolate!
You can leave plain or drizzle white chocolate on top ( I used a little carmel b/c I had extra I needed to use)

This recipe is from my sister, they are so easy and superb.

Costumes

Ordyna's: we have a Black eyed P, world champ boxer, an egg and a horse of course

Alison & Charley: cat and superman

The Yamnik Pizza! Isn't this great? Marianne sewed the whole thing.

Doorstep pumpkins

I have three very generous neighbors. If I find something on our doorstep, I must go through the list of these three families...it could be anyone of them. The other night we found these adorable pumpkins on our doorstep. "O" for Ordyna. "D" for David and "E" for Eden. After investigation I discovered it was my neighbor the the right! This neighbor has supplied clothing for David until he is 2! She keeps bringing over clothes that her little guys are outgrowing. If I am going to survive around these charitable neighbors, I better beef up my service! Thanks Allison!

Top teeth

This is so Grandma can see how big his four top teeth are.

Chicken & Broccoli foil dinner

This is my new favorite meal! The picture has stuffing on the bottom, but I use a potato. Let me tell you how easy: spray foil with Pam, thinly slice a potato, put chicken breast on top, top chicken with fresh broccoli, cheese and ranch dressing. Fold foil up, put on cook sheet and bake 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Individual meals ready to eat, no messes..you don't even dirty a plate because you can eat out of the foil. (beware of your chicken being too large with not enough ranch...it could get dry). Enjoy!

This is such a great meal you can make for your husband if you are not going to be home.

10 & 22 months

At 10 months life is full of smiles and carefree laughs....at 22 months life is full of tattles...

...much better

Our Story

I was tagged last month by a friend, but didn't realize it until now...sorry Stacey Reed.


Where did you meet your husband?
At church, he came and sat by me. He was late, so there was just a nod.
What was the first thing you said to your husband?
He passed me a note...so actual words were not spoken. I wrote my name and wasn't that interested after that.
Where was your first date?
We went to luch at Chevys.

Where was your first kiss?
On a couch at the house I was living at, when we got married my super nice roommate let us have the couch. We had that couch until recently when we moved to Mississippi, I had to convince Paul to leave it behind. He wanted to keep it forever...silly. Acutally, the first time we kissed it was horrible. We pulled away, looked at each other, sat on opposite ends of the couch. I remember saying, "well, we can always be friends". Everything had gone so perfect, I think we thought that the kiss would have fire works...big disappointment. A few minutes later we kissed again, of course it was much better!

Did you have a long or short engagement?
Met and married in 5.5 months! Wow

How was the honeymoon?
Fabulous. We went to Seattle. It was a good mix of relaxation with fun things to do.

I love reading these stories. It's always fun thinking back and remembering how you fell in love with your hubby. I tag Lisa B., Amber, Heather B., Julie and Marianne(because I think she should start a blog).

Fun Halloween snacks

Edible Eyes






(carrots, cream cheese, half olive)




Mummy Pizza





Witches Broom



(pretzels with fruit roll-ups cut and wrapped around)

Floating ghost ( hot cocoa)




Easy and fun Halloween treats for the family!

Bring and Brag

Blogs are sometimes known for "bragging" about how great your life is...well... today we are taking a dip in the vanity pool for showoffs!

Boy do we have great news! When we decided to go to law school, we were worried about how we were going to pay for everything. We have done everything we can to scrimp and save, but we have been unable to pay for school without taking out loans. Notwithstanding, we have been blessed by our Heavenly Father to have the necessities to maintain a happy family. Today, Heavenly Father blessed us yet again. At the beginning of the year, Paul applied for a scholarship through the National Center for Remote Sensing, Air and Space Law. He had to submit an application, resume, transcripts, letters of recommendation and a writing proposal on a subject that dealt with aerospace law. This afternoon Paul was informed through the law school that he has received a full tuition scholarship for next year based on his proposal. He submitted a proposal on legal difficulties presented by insuring commercial space activity. During his second year, Paul will work with The Journal of Space Law in writing a paper on the subject. Hooray for Paul.

David walking

Fire Ants

Whose afraid of these little ants? We are!

On Saturday I was giving Paul a hair cut on our back patio. The kids were playing and David crawled over to the grass and placed his hand on it. Literally 15 seconds later he was crying and we ran over there. Paul started brushing the ants off, we quickly stripped his clothes and diaper off and hosed him down...just to make sure we got all the ants. Poor little guy.. This is a photo taken on Sunday, a day after the attack (I don't think it is too dramatic to say attack). He also has a few on his legs and hand. He hasn't seemed to be bothered by them.

Happy Birthday Shelly

The other night we went to a popular place called Ajax on "The Square" for a fellow Law student.. Shelly's birthday. I asked her what she recommended, she started naming items that loved..hush puppies (fried dough), oysters, fried catfish, pork butt BBQ...etc. I looked at her as if she was joking, however when I scanned the menu I had to search to find any kind of regular chicken or beef. NO chicken sandwich! Anyway, I decided to go for the chicken and dumplings with two sides. Let me tell you the orders at our table...mine, catfish platter, oyster sandwich, pro boy dish, and then meatloaf! I don't know if it was just the house that I grew up in, but I have never seen or heard anyone ordering meatloaf! I thought meatloaf was a leftover...what do I do with all this ground beef dinner? Anyway, I guess I was expecting different food since everyone raves about this place. I know, I am totally westernized. By the way, have you ever heard of Mac & Cheese as a side vegetable? That was on a list of "vegetable sides".
Paul was excited about his fried catfish and crawdad platter.
At the moment we are having a hard time "loving Oxford". It seems that our homesickness has become worse, as we are getting annoyed with some of the traditions and cultures heres. If people aren't drinking, they are talking about the next time they will be. We had a bad experience at a local BBQ throwdown festival tonight. We were expecting some family fun time. Instead... after paying an entrance fee we walk around only to realize that about 80% of the people are drunk and we have to pay for samples! The family activity consisted of two bouncy toys and one of them they were asking $1 each time you went through. Upon leaving I politely explained very logically to the man at the front that I felt like we should get our money back. He said I would have to go to the information center, upon trying to re-enter a women stopped me and said, "you have to pay to re-enter". I looked at her totally puzzled and started to explain that I had just come...that was no help and I just gave up. What a night...good thing I had some string cheese, grapes and fishy crackers in my bag to hold the kids over! Feeling like you have been ripped off is so upsetting.

Lis the Beast

I have the best younger sister. She is super sweet, highly competitive, and extremely beautiful. It has been over a month since she left us all alone in Mississippi and started her own adventure in Ephraim, Utah. She is half way through her first semester of college and living away from home. I think this is the first week she has hinted that she is homesick. Growing up I recall trying to convince her not to pull out her hair bows and that lacy is pretty not itchy. She is no where near the "beast" we once nicknamed her as a small child, but the most fantastic adult. This ones going out to you...sis

At the furniture store we found some interesting decor!

Trying out "the walk of champions" ourselves

Don't they both have great skin and awesome eyebrows? Lisa, you have baby smooth skin. Eden...you get it from your aunt.

The Office

Last night we answered our doorbell to find this on the doorstep. All you watchers of "The Office" will laugh as we did! The Blaus went to great lengths to accomplish this masterpiece. If anyone wants to know who I am going to be for Halloween...Pam. I have a perfect pin-striped button down shirt for the occasion.

Greatest job...being a MOM

For an awesome talk about being a mom:
http://www.byubroadcasting.org/findatalk/details.asp?ID=5372

My cute neighbor sent me this link and I watched the 20 minute video. Once you listen to it you will see what a great talk it is. Anyway, yesterday I went to my first "Law Wifes" meeting. It was fun to mingle, eat and meet new people. For the first time, I had one of those experiences that I had always heard of. One girled turned to me and said, "What do you do?" It seemed that all eyes were on me as I had already mentioned that I have two children. Other questions were asked about how we pay our bills and why we came to Mississippi. As the social came to an end the girls whipped out their stylist cell phones and started exchanging numbers. I pulled out my pen that Eden chewed the end of and wrote down all their numbers and names on the top of my "to go" box. They walked to their cute little cars and I to my mini van, I came home and was never so happy as to be a mom!