And We're Back!

We made it home last night a little after 7:00. It was such a long day yesterday. And of course little Miss Addison was nothing like the trip going, where she slept the entire time. Coming home was lots of crying and NO SLEEPING. Crazy girl. We did get to take the kids to Chuck-E-Cheese's to play for about an hour. They always have fun there. We made it home with the van, now Lloyd has another project to add to his 4 page to do list. There's really more to the story err I'm mean trip but I'd rather not sit here and type it all out. I really need to clean my house. The car threw up our trip and now it's all sitting in my dining room/kitchen. So must get cracking.

Sitting down for Sunday dinner.

Okay the Amish Bread recipe makes VERY YUMMY ROLLS. The five craziesThis is what Addison does all day long, She's a hand eater..

My Grandma Merrill with my Fab 5. I was glad to get a picture of them with their Great Grandma. Plus my grandma is so fiery, she cracks me up. Parker took this Picture at my Grandmas' thought this was a very cool drawing of the the New Presidency

Well...

I guess we are going to Tri-Cities this weekend! My husband just bought a wrecked 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan Sport & we will be driving it home on Monday (Yes it run's, only the body needs some work)

We have been thinking about getting a run-around car, that way we are not always driving my Big Excursion to go get milk.

The nice thing is Lloyd can do all the body work to make her pretty again. We had a mini van like this one before and it was nice to have a small car to run errands in so this will be good. I guess we know where part of our tax refund is going. :)

Taking A Little Trip- Maybe....

We had planned on going to Tri-Cities this weekend but Lloyd has ended up having to work, (that's what he gets for not talking to me about it) grrrr so we are thinking about maybe leaving right after he get's off work at 2:00.

The only stinky thing is we wouldn't have much time to get the stuff done that we need to, so we would have to pull the kids out of school on Monday. We usually like to leave on a Friday and then have all day Saturday to do what we need to and come home Sunday. Sigh... Why does his schedule never work out for us... The last time we went to Tri-Cities was last August on the 16th so it's been a while. Now I need to sit down and think of all the stuff we have to get done while we are there. That is IF we go. Decision's are the worst. Can't someone just make this choice for me. :) So Mom we may be coming up I'll let you know.

Corbin's Porta Potty

Singing on the pot
Yes I know, no one needs to see this scene but think of the black mail when he's older. :) This is what we have been doing for the past 2 days. I couldn't take it anymore, him in diapers that is so I bought him a new toilet seat and he seems to be loving it.

Jentry and Parker were so easy to potty train, they did it right when they turned 3 and they did it themselves in 2 days. Corbin is almost 3 1/2 so no more excuses! We have had only 2 minor wet underwear accidents, and today I had to take Jentry and Brinley to the dentist and when we got home Corbin took off his pull up and went in his potty. So he scored yet another sticker on his chart and a piece of candy. The funniest thing is that the boy loves to sing while on the pot. Cracks me up. At least he's having a good time.

And yes it may seem odd, he is in living room. I just put on one of his shows and he sits there and does what he needs too. We will slowly be moving the seat toward the bathroom but for now I am doing whatever will work. Well le' Potty is beckoning. Later. :)

A Year Ago

We were lucky enough to go to Ixtapa Mexico. It was a free trip through Lloyds work (although nothing is ever truly free). Cronin paid for the trip it's a company that they order through, & they do a trip every year. ALTHOUGH at the time, I was in no mood for a trip were I had to be social. I was going through a terrible drepression and little did I know that I was also pregnant with Addison which totally explains my extreme fatigue and my sickness while I was there. But here is a little recap of our trip in pictures. I have to say that it was pretty and WARM and it was nice to get away. Enjoy. Yes I know I need to learn to do a collage....

See the black circle-That's our room

Poor Lloyd's scalp was burning-hence the bandana

One of the 3 pools.

The stairs are EVERYWHERE & there TONS OF THEM

One of the FEW pictures of me.

And the HALLS LONNNNGGGGG Our room is clear down on the end near the bright light.

Skinny cars and cool trees

This is how they transport your luggage. Fancy huh!

Our last Dinner in Mexico with Greg & Gina (lloyd works with Greg)

Sunset view from our room

I look terrible in these pictures, not to mention I was about 35 pounds heavier.. Sorry bout' your eye balls.

Testing Testing 123

Alrighty everyone just bear with me as I "mess" around with my blog.

I had to get it off of the Valentine motif and am now having issues, there are things that seem to have gone missing that used to be on my blog, but it's late and I'm super tired so I am hanging up my hat for tonight. I don't know if I am in love with this new look, so this will be a work in progress as I figure out what the heck I am doing on here. Okay it's time to start scratching my eyeballs out or just go to bed.... Ummmm bed it is....

Loving This Picture!

I took this shot this morning as we were getting ready for church. I was already to go to church and Addison had other plans she was literally SCREAMING her head off. Not sure what was going on but I couldn't get her to calm down to save my life. So I told Lloyd to go on ahead & take the other 4 to church.

She is now resting, she hasn't had a messy diaper for days now so I think that may be part of her problem. Hopefully we can get her "comfy" again.

A total sidenote. It seems that I am always talking pictures in my room and it never fails that when I take them my bed is not made. I swear I make my bed everyday. So sorry about all the un-made bed shots.

Quilt Blocks 2 & 3

Here are my blocks from our Tuesday quilt class. Melissa came over last night and we finally put together the Log Cabin block. So far I am liking the Log Cabin block best. I may use it in all 4 corners of her quilt. The other square is called True Lover's Knot. I think it looks like flooring vinyl. Not my favorite but I learned something new I suppose. I need to square them up but that will have to wait until our next class as I don't have the huge 12x12 square. 3 squares down 3 more to learn!

Congratulations Jeanne & Matt

A BIG CONGRATULATIONS goes out to my friend Jeanne! Matt proposed to her today in the Navoo Temple on the spiral staircase. I'm so excited for you! Looks like me and Miss Addison will be flying to St. Louis for a wedding in March. We love you Jeanne and are so happy for you!

For Grandma & Grandpa Merrill

This is for Grandma & Grandpa, yes they seem a little staged, I think we are still getting used to having a camcorder it's been a while. But at least your seeing all 5 together! :)

Heart Day

How is it already halfway through February?!? I know these gumballs have made their rounds (pun intended) and my thanks goes to Hilary as she started the gumball idea, and to Bridget for reminding me of the idea for today. I made each of the kids gumball valentines 77 to be exact. I had the kids write out their names on their store bought ones and we stapled those on the backs of the gumballs. Worked great! I did screw up on Brinley's I forgot to shrink the font size so her labels are bigger width wise than the bag. Kinda bugged me but I wasn't printing new ones. I only took a picture of Jentry's & Brinley's but Parker's look just like his brothers. I still think I may use this idea for Soccer this summer.

And yesterday my sugar cookies class wasn't really a class, I felt like a complete MORON having people watch me dump ingrediants into my Kitchen Aid. Really, we didn't need a class on this as we have ALL make sugar cookies at one point or another in our lives. Never again.

As for tonight seeing as we don't do Valentines day much around here. We are getting Papa Murphys Pizza for dinner (I get the night off) and then Lloyd has to go back to work. So it'll be me with sleeping kids while my DVR & I go on a date. I swear the older we get the more boring we get.

Hope everyone has a Happy Valentines Day!

{ Chocolate Sheet Cake }

Photo via: The Pioneer Woman Cooks

This is hands down the best Chocolate Sheet Cake I have ever had. 
E.V.E.R.
I give all credit to Ree from The Pioneer Woman Cooks. 
I was even asked by Parker if I could make another one as soon as this one was gone. Seriously try it your going to love it! 

This one is going into my book of recipes for sure. 
Well, off I got to finish getting stuff ready, I am "teaching" and I use that term lightly, a Sugar Cookie class this morning for our Enrichment. 

Pioneer Woman Chocolate Sheet Cake

Combine in a mixing bowl:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a saucepan, melt:
2 sticks butter
Add 4 heaping tablespoons cocoa. Stir together.
Add 1 cup boiling water,
allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds, then turn off heat.
Pour over flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool.
In measuring cup,
pour 1/2 cup buttermilk.
Add:2 beaten eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
Stir buttermilk mixture into butter/chocolate mixture.
Pour into sheet cake pan and bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes.

While cake is baking, make icing:
Chop 1/2 cup pecans finely.
Melt 1 3/4 sticks butter in a saucepan.
Add 4 heaping tablespoons cocoa, stir to combine, then turn off heat.
Add:6 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 lb minus 1/2 cup powdered sugarStir together. Add pecans, stir together, and pour over warm cake.
Cut into squares, take your insulin, and eat. 
You, my friend have just made the best chocolate sheet cake. 
Ever.

Because they are so cute!

That's All!

Scrapbook Page For Week 6

I Managed to get this layout done yesterday afternoon and the best part, I whipped this baby out in 25 mins, and I used my own brain on this one too, no scraplifting for me. 6 down and 46 to go, I am right on track!

{ Baked Alfedo SO YUMMY! }

This is SO DARN GOOD! 
I have been making if for a while and I made it for my parents when they were here for Christmas and they loved it. We had it for dinner tonight and I told my friend Gail I would post it. If you love Alfredo you will LOVE this. If only I had some Olive Garden Bread sticks to go with it......

Photo via: Amber's Delectable Delights

Alfredo Pasta Bake

(Source: Amber's Delectable Delights)
Ingredients:
8 oz pasta, cooked and drained

2 cups broccoli florets

1 cup mushrooms

1.5 cups chicken, cooked and shredded or diced

1 jar alfredo sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

2 Tbls butter

Directions:- Preheat oven to 350 degrees- Coat the bottom of the two small or one medium baking dish with a thin layer of alfredo sauce. In a medium bowl, mix the pasta, broccoli, mushrooms, chicken, garlic and alfredo sauce until combined. Place mixture into baking dish and top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cut the butter into small pieces and scatter on top of the cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is hot and bubbly.

Rachel's notes: I like to use Classico Four Cheese Alfredo Sauce. Also when I bake it after the 20 minutes, I turn on the broiler for a few minutes just to brown the cheese, just don't burn it. Burn=no good.

I also don't follow this recipe to the "T". If I think it needs a little more of this or that I add it. Just don't use too many noodles. I usually don't use the whole package of refrigerated noodles if you use too many noodles add more sauce otherwise it won't be very moist. 

Holy Cute Shoes!

This girl was cracking me up on Sunday! I finally was able to put shoes on her tiny feet and have them stay on. They are growing yeah! And talk about fascination with what was stuck to her body. She just sat there and stared at her feet for quite some time. I think she was trying to figure out what the heck they were, I like to think she was contemplating how trendy she looked. :) Just kidding, although they have the cutest chunky heel on them. I bought them in 3 different sizes when Brinley was little. See told you we are shoe-a-holics.

So of course being the dutiful mom that I am I had to snap some pictures. Then Brinley came in and wanted me to take some shots of her with her sister. I think they are both so stinking cute, well Addison is cute and Brinley is just oh so pretty.