My 37th Birthday

I loved my 37th Birthday.  It was last Monday the 7th.  It was spent at home surrounded by my 4 sickly kids and husband.  My dear little 4 year old brought in a very strong cold virus and it knocked us ALL out!  Hayden had an ear infection, but we're all getting better.  I still have clogged ears and I'm hearing everything like it's coming in through a tin can.  It should go away soon!

Here's why I loved all of us being sick on my birthday.

*  We all stayed together under the blankets and kept each other warm, especially our cold feet.  Even with the heater going, we still were cold.

*  It forced all of us to be kind because we were all equally miserable.  Knowing that changed everyone's attitude.  There were many moments of laughter and teasing.

*  I've loved sitting and watching movies with my kids.  I introduced them to movies that they'd never seen; that I love.  My thanks to Netflix Instant Movies!

*  Alyssa and I (the least sick of the bunch) loved going to 3 Krispy Kremes and bringing in a haul of doughnuts.  They were out of original at one of the shops, so I got to pick out my favorite custard and kreme filled doughnuts!  Heavenly!!!

*  There were no expectations of presents, or going out, so I didn't have to wonder what everyone was going to do, nor feel bad for not having anything because we were sick.

* It was extremely peaceful because when anyone started to talk, we'd start coughing... hence, not a single arguement.

*  I loved seeing Curt's face and sickly confusion when he woke up after a cold-drug induced sleep to find out it was still Monday, my birthday.  It sounds weird, but it was SO funny!

*  Curt and I are going out next weekend to get my free Keg Steakhouse meal, and then I get to go on a mini shopping spree at Sephora.  It's a Birthday Tradition!!!!   Hooray!

*  I scheduled with "my gals" for my breakfast brunch on Saturday morning!  Oh, the joy!!!!

*  Our family discussed everything that's happened in the last year and I realized how my testimony of trials has grown.  You name it, we've been through almost trial possible... well, gratefully death wasn't a part of it!
   We decided to walk away from our home, Curt lost his job, we had no income for a few months (but we had savings!), we had a baby in NICU for 3 weeks, an emergency C-section, a few weeks of bed-rest and 4 hospital stays, and we still have one car. 

BUT WAIT!

    We found a bigger home that we could afford, Curt has a better job as a Contractor, and now he can ride the Lightrail to work and back.  We have a healthy baby girl who's body has been strengthened through many hours of prayer and fasting, who's a living example of the power of the priesthood.  Life is good, we gained a sense of humor where trials are concerned and patience to wait them out.
   I have fabulous friends that have been listening ears with wise, sagely advice.  Going out to breakfast with "my gals" often has been very therapeutic and I'm grateful for them... more than they will ever understand.  I love them like sisters and they are in my prayers often, along with my own family that I have grown to love more and more.  My parents have been my rocks and I love them and cherish them so much more than I'd ever realized. 

See?  It's been a fantastic year... who could ask for more?

I am so excited to see how this next year goes!

What the What? Wednesday!

Chicken Bakes

I LOVE Chicken Bakes from Costco.  I have driven to Costco, just for one.

I finally decided to make them on my own for dinner.

Here's what you need

2 containers of Pilsbury thin crust pizza dough, each one will make 3.
Chicken that's been grilled and sliced, frozen, found ours in freezer aisle
1 bottle of Ken's creamy Caesar dressing.
large package on Italian Cheese
Green onions, sliced
Bacon, prepared ( cut into small pieces, then cook and drain off fat)

What you do.  Preheat oven to 400.

Empty chicken into a bowl, pour dressing over top.  cook chicken in microwave on high for 5 minutes.  Unroll pizza dough, cut widthwise into 3 strips.   Down the middle of each strip,stack chicken, then bacon, then onions and cheese.  Put in a little of the dressing.  Bring the edges in and crimp into a tube.  roll tube over  so crimp is on the bottom.   brush the top of the roll with dressing and sprinkle on cheese.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Now that we know these are good, we're going to experiment!

Olivia's almost 6 months!

 I don't know how this one got out of order, it was taken at 3 days old.

The rest of the story.

Little Miss Alyssa opening her stocking...

she's always the smiliest one around!

Hayden just loved the fact that he got a stocking.

We had to remind him a few times that he needed to pull things out of it!

One of the toys that Santa brought was a Harmonica.

He's pretty good at playing it!

He also got a hobby horse and will run around the house blowing on his monica and riding his horse.



 Curt recieved a "ginourmous" toaster oven.

He's still trying to figure it out, but he loves it!

 Aaron was a typical teenager who didn't want to admit that he wanted one of these.

But, as his mother, I knew better.

Meet Poopy Paul the Po-po panda. 

It's quite the name, isn't it?

 Olivia recieved a Cabbage Patch softy baby.

She's thinks it so wonderful

I got my Christmas presents.  A healthy baby, a new camera and a house with my own mailbox.

I wish I'd had a camera for Christmas Eve.  We had my siblings that live here in the valley over

for some tamales and to celebrate my neice, Sydney's birthday.

I didn't get any pictures, but we all had a great time.

After we spent time opening gifts, we headed to Globe for Christmas dinner.

The only part that made me sad? 

That Chalo's wasn't open and I didn't get burritos.  :(

A Christmas Review-part 1

Here are the older kids so lovingly admiring the Christmas Tree. 

What you're not seeing? 

Hayden doing a full run at it like Buddy in Elf... to leap and reach the top!

Olivia was so thrilled with her pink Christmas gifts! 

 The stockings were hung with care, but not by a chimney. 

Will the piano do?

 Here are all three watching the Christmas Morning Marathon of Movies.

These are the movies that we have made a tradition of watching before we start to open any presents.

Mr Kruger's Christmas

Joy to the World (Luke 2)

The Restoration of the Gospel.

The kids actually like this the best, it really helps them remember why Christmas is so important.

 Madame Olivia, as we were opening presents.

Isn't she the cutest thing?

There are more pictures, but for some reason I have to do them in a separate post.

'Twas a wonderful Christmas.

We had a wonderful Christmas and so far it's been a great New Year.

I was forced to get a new camera, due to the other one being smashed in a door by a beautiful daughter who was running away from her horrible pre-teen brother whilst the parents were away Christmas shopping. 

I'm hoping this new camera will be able to work with this computer, whereas the other one didn't.  So, I'll try to post pictures soon.