If you have a baby and you haven't ever had the pleasure of weening a toddler off of a bottle or sippy cup, you're in for a treat! Mackenzie enjoyed her passie and really liked her bottle but she LOVES her sippy cup. Imagine how much fun it was to start the process of getting her off of it for good this weekend. That task, along with a SUPER uncomfortable stomach bug for me made for an extra "fun" few days for the both of us.
I could go on and on about Luvies first day without her "baba", but I think this video just about sums it up. I can't tell you how excited I am about having day one under the belt. Now I just have to get all of the other days out of the way (withgout giving in to her cries) and then it's on to getting her out of that diaper she's grown too comfy with! Oh the joys of motherhood! Gotta love it. ;-)
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Summer Time!!!
It's been a long time since I got to have a real summer break and this year summer is off to a great (suppper busy, but still great) start. I love having my boys at home during the day and we've managed to squeeze in a few fun activities here and there. Next week we're off to girls camp and they don't have a clue! I can't tell them ahead of time because then I'll be dealing with a million questions until we leave. LOL It's been YEARS since I've been to girls camp and while I'm not the outdoorsy type I'm still excited to do something fun.
Tons of things have happened over the past couple of weeks and unfortunately I haven't been taking as many pictures as I would have liked. Joshua lost his very first tooth just last week. He's a late bloomer but he was so STOKED about it and woke up in the middle of the night checking for the toothfairy before crying REAL tears when he thought he lost the tooth under his pillow. LOL Oh how FUN is life when you're 6?
Papa is getting more and more excited about getting baptized soon. He is constantly reminding me that he's turning 8 this year. His vocabulary is a bit much for my liking at his age. LOL That kid and talking back! Gotta love the fact that he's vocal and opinionated though. Wonder where he gets that from? ;-)
My Luvie is really starting to speak full sentences and her baby talk is something I know I'll miss one day. Every once in a while I ask her what her name is because I love the way she responds with "Tenzie" instead of "Kenzie". My baby is a little bossy one too!
Here are a few summer snapshots from June '11. There are going to be TONS of more fun things to come! Stay cool everyone!!!!
Fathers day cards for her FAVE such a Daddies girl.
Joshy being a good big brother and pushing Luvie
Homemade playdough and cookie cutters=hours of fun!
My Papaman posing with his playdough creation.
Luvie getting her face painted at Carmine's circus bash
Papa after the jello eating contest.
Joshy smiling after a freshly pulled tooth.
All you need is the sun and a hose. LOL
Sugar cookie decorating. It's not Christmas regardless of what color the sprinkles are. LOL
Visiting Gpa on Fathers day.
Tons of things have happened over the past couple of weeks and unfortunately I haven't been taking as many pictures as I would have liked. Joshua lost his very first tooth just last week. He's a late bloomer but he was so STOKED about it and woke up in the middle of the night checking for the toothfairy before crying REAL tears when he thought he lost the tooth under his pillow. LOL Oh how FUN is life when you're 6?
Papa is getting more and more excited about getting baptized soon. He is constantly reminding me that he's turning 8 this year. His vocabulary is a bit much for my liking at his age. LOL That kid and talking back! Gotta love the fact that he's vocal and opinionated though. Wonder where he gets that from? ;-)
My Luvie is really starting to speak full sentences and her baby talk is something I know I'll miss one day. Every once in a while I ask her what her name is because I love the way she responds with "Tenzie" instead of "Kenzie". My baby is a little bossy one too!
Here are a few summer snapshots from June '11. There are going to be TONS of more fun things to come! Stay cool everyone!!!!
Fathers day cards for her FAVE such a Daddies girl.
Joshy being a good big brother and pushing Luvie
Homemade playdough and cookie cutters=hours of fun!
My Papaman posing with his playdough creation.
Luvie getting her face painted at Carmine's circus bash
Papa after the jello eating contest.
Joshy smiling after a freshly pulled tooth.
All you need is the sun and a hose. LOL
Sugar cookie decorating. It's not Christmas regardless of what color the sprinkles are. LOL
Visiting Gpa on Fathers day.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Kids!
Isn't it funny how kids get into the most random things? You leave them alone for 2 minutes and they manage to do more than you think they're capable of.
This isn't the first time Luvie got her hands into the tub of gel and I'm sure it won't be the last. Kids! Gotta love em.
This isn't the first time Luvie got her hands into the tub of gel and I'm sure it won't be the last. Kids! Gotta love em.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
I'm lovin' it!
I'm officially a stay at home mom and believe it or not...I'm LOVIN' it! I really enjoy the extra time I have with my kids and hubby. We've been able to do things that I didn't have the time to do before and I'm so happy that these special moments will make amazing memories for my babies.
One of the first things that I was able to do was chaperon a field trip with my Joshy's class. We went to the Academy of Science which was perfect because I absolutely LOVE museums and nerdy stuff like that. :-)
My baby so was excited that I was going to attend and after a minor snafu (his teacher Ms. Salomeh mixed up dates and we got all ready for the field trip arriving at school early Tuesday morning only to find out that the field trip was actually on Thursday) we were on our way. There were 21 kids total and I got to meet all of my Joshy's 1st grade buddies.
After a 30 minute bus ride were there and ready to have fun! I felt like I was more excited than the students. There were so many amazing exhibits and interactive displays.
Here is Joshy's whole class in front of the Academy of Science
He and his "cousins" you know all Tongans are family at school. :-)
Joshy was amazed while we went through all three layers of the ocean in the underwater exhibit. Here is the tour guide giving us a quick explanation before we took our "dive" underwater.
The group on the "bottom layer" of the ocean.
They got to touch real living starfish.
My Joshy posing with the big old fish.
After our quick "dive" we made the trek up into the rain forest. It was hot and muggy just like the real thing. The bottom layer had all the plant life and as you traveled up you got to see how the different animals live and survive. The top was my favorite as you walked around gorgeous jumbo butterflies were everywhere. It was so pretty.
Here is Ms. Salomeh and the class making their way up.
Here am I with Joshy. I had to pull my mommy card and take at least one picture with him there. This is just before the butterflies.
Joshua in the rain forest
After the "rain forest" the kids started to say they were hungry so we made our way outdoors so that they could have lunch. Once all of the kids ate, Ms. Salomeh played a few games to tire them out. It was so cute to see Joshua interact with his classmates.
Game Time!
The last exhibit we went to was Joshua's favorite. It was the reptile exhibit and he was so excited to see the snakes and lizards up close. I'm a typical girly girl, I coulda done without the creepy crawlers but watching his face was priceless and I'd do it all over again just for him. :-)
Joshua with a big old fat python. He was amazed at how big it was!
An albino lizard. The tongue on this thing was crazy long!
Of course in all of the amazing wildlife and the cool interactive exhibits, Joshy and his friends would find the closest thing to a video game.
One of the first things that I was able to do was chaperon a field trip with my Joshy's class. We went to the Academy of Science which was perfect because I absolutely LOVE museums and nerdy stuff like that. :-)
My baby so was excited that I was going to attend and after a minor snafu (his teacher Ms. Salomeh mixed up dates and we got all ready for the field trip arriving at school early Tuesday morning only to find out that the field trip was actually on Thursday) we were on our way. There were 21 kids total and I got to meet all of my Joshy's 1st grade buddies.
After a 30 minute bus ride were there and ready to have fun! I felt like I was more excited than the students. There were so many amazing exhibits and interactive displays.
Here is Joshy's whole class in front of the Academy of Science
He and his "cousins" you know all Tongans are family at school. :-)
Joshy was amazed while we went through all three layers of the ocean in the underwater exhibit. Here is the tour guide giving us a quick explanation before we took our "dive" underwater.
The group on the "bottom layer" of the ocean.
They got to touch real living starfish.
My Joshy posing with the big old fish.
After our quick "dive" we made the trek up into the rain forest. It was hot and muggy just like the real thing. The bottom layer had all the plant life and as you traveled up you got to see how the different animals live and survive. The top was my favorite as you walked around gorgeous jumbo butterflies were everywhere. It was so pretty.
Here is Ms. Salomeh and the class making their way up.
Here am I with Joshy. I had to pull my mommy card and take at least one picture with him there. This is just before the butterflies.
Joshua in the rain forest
After the "rain forest" the kids started to say they were hungry so we made our way outdoors so that they could have lunch. Once all of the kids ate, Ms. Salomeh played a few games to tire them out. It was so cute to see Joshua interact with his classmates.
Game Time!
The last exhibit we went to was Joshua's favorite. It was the reptile exhibit and he was so excited to see the snakes and lizards up close. I'm a typical girly girl, I coulda done without the creepy crawlers but watching his face was priceless and I'd do it all over again just for him. :-)
Joshua with a big old fat python. He was amazed at how big it was!
An albino lizard. The tongue on this thing was crazy long!
Of course in all of the amazing wildlife and the cool interactive exhibits, Joshy and his friends would find the closest thing to a video game.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Lasagna and Garlic Bread
After getting married, Lasagna was a dish that I made at home regularly. It was one of the first dishes I ever learned to make AND it happens to be Siuas favorite. He's such a pasta lover. Over time, I changed the recipe to better suit my family and their super picky taste buds. It's so easy to make homemade lasagna and it's a shame that the frozen store bought "take and bake" pans don't taste good at all. I told you the taste buds around here were super picky. ;-)
So I made this recently and actually remembered to take pictures for my blog. Thank goodness! So here is the recipe along with pictures and directions for super yummy lasagna and yet another kind of garlic bread. Did I forget to mention we're yummy bread lovers? Try it out, it's deelish!
This is what you need to make a big old pan. This recipe can be reduced by half to feed a smaller family.
2 big jars of spaghetti sauce (I usually buy whatever is on sale). If you use the "regular" sized jars, I'd get about 4.
4 pounds of ground beef or turkey
About 6-8 sausages (whatever kind you like, I use Farmer Johns cause they were on sale)
1 tub of ricotta cheese
1 big bag of Monterey Jack cheese
2 boxes of uncooked lasagna noodles
I always start off by boiling water and getting the noodles going. I usually do what everyone else does and season the water with a little salt (I hear it makes it boil faster too) and some vegetable oil to keep the noodles from sticking together. Just boil until they're "al dente" or cooked through with a little "bite" to them.
While the noodles are cooking I start to brown the meat. I just cook it until it's mostly brown and then drain the fat. I also rinse it with hot water. I know it sounds weird, but I hate the flavor of grease! So I leave the meat in the strainer and run a little hot water over it.
I also add some cooked sausage to my lasagna. It adds something to the flavor and makes it a lot heartier. I just chop whatever sausage happens to be on sale and brown it in a big pan.
After the sausage is nice and brown I throw the cooked meat into the same pan I cooked the sausage in along with the spaghetti sauce, ricotta cheese and garlic.
Once the meat mixture is all combined with the ricotta and seasonings I begin to put my lasagna layers together. I always start off with the sauce/meat mix on the bottom of the pan.
After that's spread all around the bottom I add a layer of noodles before adding more meat and then cheese. I continue in that order until all of the meat, cheese and noodles are gone.
The last layer should be cheese. You'll notice that the top layer has some cheddar cheese too. I ran out of Monterey Jack at the end.
Bake at 350 for about 45 mins to an hour. The cheese will be browned and gooey.
Before cutting into the lasagna you should let it sit and cool for at least 20 minutes to make sure your pieces don't slide all over once you cut into it. Once it's set, you should be able to get a good clean piece.
Both Papa and Madre kept me company while cooking and thought it looked super yummy. LOL
Now for the super yummy garlic bread. It's so easy that you can't NOT try it! Here is what you need -
Yup, that's IT along with a little yummy cheese for the top.
Mix the butter and garlic together and spread over the top of the texas toast. I usually just put a single layer on a cookie sheet and then sprinkle the cheese on top.
Throw the whole pan in the broiler (yes broiler!) for about 2 mins (be very careful because when broiling things can burn very quickly). Once you take it out it should be melted and toasty brown.
Now doesn't this look like a yummy plate of food!?
And the best part about cooking? Having a super sweet someone to wash dishes for you! Thanks a million Cha-Cha!!!!
So I made this recently and actually remembered to take pictures for my blog. Thank goodness! So here is the recipe along with pictures and directions for super yummy lasagna and yet another kind of garlic bread. Did I forget to mention we're yummy bread lovers? Try it out, it's deelish!
This is what you need to make a big old pan. This recipe can be reduced by half to feed a smaller family.
2 big jars of spaghetti sauce (I usually buy whatever is on sale). If you use the "regular" sized jars, I'd get about 4.
4 pounds of ground beef or turkey
About 6-8 sausages (whatever kind you like, I use Farmer Johns cause they were on sale)
1 tub of ricotta cheese
1 big bag of Monterey Jack cheese
2 boxes of uncooked lasagna noodles
I always start off by boiling water and getting the noodles going. I usually do what everyone else does and season the water with a little salt (I hear it makes it boil faster too) and some vegetable oil to keep the noodles from sticking together. Just boil until they're "al dente" or cooked through with a little "bite" to them.
While the noodles are cooking I start to brown the meat. I just cook it until it's mostly brown and then drain the fat. I also rinse it with hot water. I know it sounds weird, but I hate the flavor of grease! So I leave the meat in the strainer and run a little hot water over it.
I also add some cooked sausage to my lasagna. It adds something to the flavor and makes it a lot heartier. I just chop whatever sausage happens to be on sale and brown it in a big pan.
After the sausage is nice and brown I throw the cooked meat into the same pan I cooked the sausage in along with the spaghetti sauce, ricotta cheese and garlic.
Once the meat mixture is all combined with the ricotta and seasonings I begin to put my lasagna layers together. I always start off with the sauce/meat mix on the bottom of the pan.
After that's spread all around the bottom I add a layer of noodles before adding more meat and then cheese. I continue in that order until all of the meat, cheese and noodles are gone.
The last layer should be cheese. You'll notice that the top layer has some cheddar cheese too. I ran out of Monterey Jack at the end.
Bake at 350 for about 45 mins to an hour. The cheese will be browned and gooey.
Before cutting into the lasagna you should let it sit and cool for at least 20 minutes to make sure your pieces don't slide all over once you cut into it. Once it's set, you should be able to get a good clean piece.
Both Papa and Madre kept me company while cooking and thought it looked super yummy. LOL
Now for the super yummy garlic bread. It's so easy that you can't NOT try it! Here is what you need -
Yup, that's IT along with a little yummy cheese for the top.
Mix the butter and garlic together and spread over the top of the texas toast. I usually just put a single layer on a cookie sheet and then sprinkle the cheese on top.
Throw the whole pan in the broiler (yes broiler!) for about 2 mins (be very careful because when broiling things can burn very quickly). Once you take it out it should be melted and toasty brown.
Now doesn't this look like a yummy plate of food!?
And the best part about cooking? Having a super sweet someone to wash dishes for you! Thanks a million Cha-Cha!!!!
Friday, May 20, 2011
It's Official
Today is my last official day with Meyers Nave. I've worked at the firm for over 4 years and loved (almost) every minute of it. I hate goodbyes and long drawn out farewells so I'm sending a simple message and then going my own way. It's bittersweet and I'm so excited for what's to come! Wish me luck!
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Mothers, Sisters, Friends
Oh how I've missed my cyber journal! I'm happy to say that my laptop should be fixed next week so that I don't have to deal with withdrawals again! Whew!!
This past weekend was mothers day and instead of going the hard/expensive route my sisters and I decided it would be cute to take sister fliccs for mi madre. We've never done it before AND it was cost efficient so why not? They turned out really cute! She got the framed pictures along with an edible arrangement. Fekita got her flowers and chocolate. She was one happy mama! Big thank you to STAR for helping with the group poses.
I was lucky to be treated to an impromptu brunch with Lani, Jigz, Bruh Bruh and the Nemani's. :-) Lani invited everyone out to eat and then Leka paid! Such a "Leka" thing to do. Thanks again Nemani's!!!
I'm so blessed to be surrounded by so many amazing women and lovely mothers. Even my younger sisters who don't have children play such a huge role in my kids lives. Each one of my sisters helps to lighten the load a little. I have called on them so many times and I know that if I need them they'll gladly watch my babies, do school pickups, practice drop offs, baths or meals when I am unable to. I've managed to go through hospital stays, long days at work, church events and even date nights with a sense of calm because I know my kids are in good hands with someone who loves them just as much as I do. ;-)
A huge THANK YOU to my sisters who step in and fill my shoes when I fall short. I am forever grateful for you and the love that you have for my babies.
This past weekend was mothers day and instead of going the hard/expensive route my sisters and I decided it would be cute to take sister fliccs for mi madre. We've never done it before AND it was cost efficient so why not? They turned out really cute! She got the framed pictures along with an edible arrangement. Fekita got her flowers and chocolate. She was one happy mama! Big thank you to STAR for helping with the group poses.
I was lucky to be treated to an impromptu brunch with Lani, Jigz, Bruh Bruh and the Nemani's. :-) Lani invited everyone out to eat and then Leka paid! Such a "Leka" thing to do. Thanks again Nemani's!!!
I'm so blessed to be surrounded by so many amazing women and lovely mothers. Even my younger sisters who don't have children play such a huge role in my kids lives. Each one of my sisters helps to lighten the load a little. I have called on them so many times and I know that if I need them they'll gladly watch my babies, do school pickups, practice drop offs, baths or meals when I am unable to. I've managed to go through hospital stays, long days at work, church events and even date nights with a sense of calm because I know my kids are in good hands with someone who loves them just as much as I do. ;-)
A huge THANK YOU to my sisters who step in and fill my shoes when I fall short. I am forever grateful for you and the love that you have for my babies.
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