Monday, February 11, 2013

Off to the Races

Racing Season for Chuck is in full swing. The first race of the season, Cameron got to do too.  
All the kids went to a crit where several crashes occured and they (especially H and little C) where extremely interested in the "bloody guys."  







Chuck is the one in front

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Happy 3rd Birthday Christian!

Our baby is 3!  He (for the most part) has been a joy for the last 3 years and we are so glad he is part of our family.  I wasn't planning on having a party for Christian, but when he and Hannah started planning it, I figured I had to go along with it.  His birthday was on a Sunday, so we had a small party on Saturday.  Davis, Knox, Jackson and Tessa came over to celebrate with him.  We had pizza and cupcakes and ice cream.  Christian got some great gifts, including a doll house per his request.  On Sunday, he was so excited to take rice krispie treats to nursery.








At 3, Christian is weighing in at 32 lbs and is 3 ft tall.  He has a generally happy disposition and gets along well with others.  I am not only always being told how cute he is, but how good he is.  He loves to play; cars, trucks, and legos among the favorites, but he can also play dolls with the best of them.  He also loves to watch TV.  His show of choice is Caillou, but he will watch whatever C and H are watching.  He loves pizza and anything sweet.  And he loves his mom.  He often tells me he loves me and if I say, "I love you more", he gets really mad and yells, "No, I love you more."  He is often shy around others, but at home he is a talker.  He loves for me to hold and carry him.  He is not immune to the bad example of his brother and sister and I often hear him say, "I hate you" or call people "poopy head".  He does get angry and will hit, but I will say it is usually when someone has done him wrong.  He is still sleeping in his crib despite our attempts to get him in a bed.  He doesn't nap, but I often find him curled up on the couch asleep.  I am really enjoying the time Christian and I have together and I hope that the 3's are not too trying!

Friday, January 18, 2013

Fav Recipes


Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese
 
12 oz dried rigatoni
3 ½ c butternut squash – diced
2 ¾ c milk
¼ c all-purpose flour
8 oz smoked Gruyere (or chedder cheese) – shredded
8 slices bacon
2 small sweet onions – diced
3 oz sourdough bread
2 tbsp butter – melted
Fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 425.  Lightly butter and 3-quart baking dish.  Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, transfer to large bowl.

In a large sauce pan combine squash, 2 ½ c milk over medium heat. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer until squash is tender ~20min.  Stir together remaining ¼ c milk and flour; stir into squash mixture.  Bring to boil; cook until thickened ~2-3min.  Stir in cheese until melted.

In a large skillet cook bacon until crisp; drain on paper towels.  Crumble; set aside.  Pour off all but 2 tbsp bacon drippings.  Return skillet to heat.

Add onions to skillet; cover and cook low heat 10 min.  Uncover and increase heat to high. Cook 4-5 min more, stirring, until onions are golden.

Add squash-cheese mixture, onions and bacon to bowl with pasta.  Toss well to combine and transfer to baking dish.

Place bread in food processor; pulse with two or three on/off turns to form large coarse crumbs.  Transfer to bowl with melted butter.  Sprinkle remaining cheese and the bread crumbs over pasta.  Bake until top is browned, ~14-15 min.  Cook 5 min.  Sprinkle with parsley.

 
Penne with Creamy Tomato Sauce

2 tbsp olive or veg oil
½ c diced onion
2 tbsp dry vermouth, white wine or broth
1 ¾ c pasta sauce
½ c heaving whipping cream
8 oz dry penne pasta, cooked, drained and kept warm
1 c sliced black olives
½ c grated Parmesan cheese
¼ c sliced green onions

In large skillet, heat oil.  Add onion; sauté for 2-3 min or until onion is tender.  Add vermouth; cook for 1 min.  Stir in pasta sauce, cream, pasta, olives and parmesan cheese; heat thoroughly, stirring occasionally.  Sprinkle with green onions.

Sunday, December 30, 2012

2012 - Our Year in Review

Yea! We have all survived yet another year!  To reflect upon our year, here is a list of our highlights throughout the months.

January - Christian turned 2.  I am so in love with this little boy.  He is so fun and easy to get along with. 

February - We had a photo shoot with my cousin, Rachel, who managed to capture, on film, the beauty of our children.

March - I got a short break from kids while Chuck took them on an Urban Adventure.

April - The boys enjoyed the Father and Sons Campout while H and I spent a fun weekend at home together.

May - Chuck, I, Cameron (7) and Hannah (5) all celebrated our birthdays.
           Emma graduated from high school.
           Cameron completed the 1st grade and Hannah graduated from pre-school.

June - Cameron and I went to Maui.  Chuck, Hannah and Christian went to Bryce Canyon NP.
            Christian got his first hair cut.
            Chuck and the kids went on two camping trips.
            Lily and Emma moved to Ann Arbor, MI.

July - Chuck, Hannah and Cameron spent 7 days and 6 nights backpacking in California.

August - Cameron started 2nd grade. He rarely gives me a hard time about going, but his hate of homework is intense.  Hannah started Kindergarten.  She never gives me a hard time about going.
                I was asked to be a cub scouts den leader for the wolves.  Because Cameron was to young join my den/pack, but was so anxious to start cub scouts, he joined another pack.
                Hannah started Girl Scouts.
               Christian and I get to spend a lot of time together with the kids in school.  We go to story time, take art classes, go to the zoo, have play dates and go to the Y a lot.

September - Chuck and I celebrated our 10th anniversary.

October -  Grannie Annie made all of us the best Halloween costumes ever!  Cameron was a SWAT team member, Hannah, Cinderella in her rags, Christian, a Fireman and Chuck and I, FBI agents.
      
November - Chuck and the kids did some winter camping which included snow.

December - We celebrated Chuck's parents 50th wedding anniversary with them and Chuck's family in Cincinatti, OH.
                     We took the Polar Express (aka the Grand Canyon Railway) to the North Pole.

If you'd like to see more details and/or pictures from our highlightes, feel free to navigate the appropriate post on this blog.
What a fun and blessed year we have had!  We are so grateful for all that we have been blessed with, especially our beautiful children and our Savior, Jesus Christ.  Without him, this life would not be possible.  We wish you all a very Happy New Year! 

Christmas 2012

Once returning from our trip from Cincinatti, we began our Christmas preparations and celebrations.  We went to the Christmas tree lot to buy our tree in short sleeves.  Most years, a light jacket is required.  We decorated the tree and as well as, the house.  Cameron's cub scout troop adopted a family and I was the organizer, so everyone got involved in the project.  We met up with some friends and decorated gingerbread houses.  And of course, enjoyed celebrations at school.
 
Christian's house

Hannah's house

Cameron's house




Christmas Sunday


Santa did visit the Royalty house, despite some very naughty behavior leading up the Christmas.  C said, "I got two gifts from Santa this year.  It's almost like the worse you are, the more gifts you get."


Santa brought Cameron binoculars and a truck complete with trailer and horses.
Hannah received a pair of unicorn stompeez and a veterinarian play set.
Christian received a car and track.

C and H were given tickets to go horseback riding from me and Chuck.



The Thursday after Christmas, we drove to Williams AZ (where there was snow) to ride the Polar Express to the North Pole.  On the Polar Express, we were given hot chocolate and cookies.  We were read the Polar Express.  When we got to the North Pole, we were told that Santa was going to get on and bring the kids a gift.  Hannah said, "Maybe he'll bring me my hug-a-lot."  Santa did get on the train, but gave the kids a bell.  And on the way back, we sang Christmas carols.  We stayed the night in Flagstaff and attempted to play in the snow the next day.  It was really cold; too cold to make snow balls or a snow man, so we opted for the hot tub instead.  Despite nearly not getting to go, again because of very naughty behavior, the kids managed to stay on top of the thin ice.  And overall, it was a very nice trip.  As we got close to home, H said, "We are back in Arizona."  I said, "I hate to tell you this H, but we never left AZ except when we where at the North Pole."  And C says, "We didn't really go to the North Pole.  All those buildings were fake.  Couldn't you tell?"





Saturday, December 29, 2012

Rich & Judy's 50th Wedding Anniversary

We recently took a trip to Cincinatti, OH for Chuck's parents 50th wedding anniversary party.  We flew into Detroit on a Fri, drove to Ann Arbor and met up with Lily and Emma.  They have been living in Ann Arbor since the summer.  They are both working and have rented a very cute duplex.  The following day, Sat., we drove to Cincinatti, (stopping at Skyline for Cincinatti chili) and met up with Chuck's brother's family and his parents.  We had a family dinner and let the kids play.  On Sunday we had a family photo shoot and the anniversary party.  On Mon., the kids played, we had dinner at Skyline and ice cream at Graeter's and went to the zoo for zoo lights.  The weather was unseasonably warm, so we were able to be outside much of the time.  We drove to Ann Arbor on Tues., said good-bye to Lily and Emma, drove to Detroit and flew home.  It was great to see everyone, especially Lily and Emma.  And I was very pleased with out kids behavior on the trip. 
 
Little C's first plane trip





the nights were much, much better than I expected

we can't go out of state without visiting the local fire station






As I am blogging, I realize that I didn't take very many pictures.  I have very few of Lily or Emma and none of Rich and Judy.  Usually I am too overwhelmed with kids to think about snapping pictures.

Sleeping Christian

I love to take pictures of Christian while he sleeps.  He is so beautiful and peaceful.  He doesn't take a nap anymore, but often falls asleep going from here to there.  And for some reason, he goes to bed (he calls it taking a nap) in our room and before we go to bed, we move him into his bed.  So, I always find myself snapping pictures of him.
 






When I checkend on him here, he was completely covered with the comforter.  I pulled it back a bit to get a picture of his beautiful face.