Spring Vacation 2016

I am finally getting around to posting about our vacation to CA.  Despite how exhausting part of this vacation was, it truly was the best!!

We left early in the morning and headed to Newport beach to check into our hotel by mid-afternoon.

Sunny was a dream in the car. The best kid ever! No whining, no complaining. Just so happy!!!

She never slept. Not once!

We had our car really packed to the core. Our goal was to save money by not eating out until Friday, for Rodney's Birthday dinner.

We had a ice-chest packed with lots of sandwich making stuff. And soup. Lots of soup and microwave stuff.

Sounds kindof great eating sandwiches every night. It sounded okay with me.....at first.

Anyway, we arrived safe and sound and finally were able to check in.  Hotels in beachy towns are often laid back and not the cleanest or newest looking. I expected this. The hotel was okay and everythng I expected.

That night, we headed out to the mall. Sunny finally fell asleep.  We stopped by the Newport Temple.  Beautiful.

The next day, Tuesday, we headed down to Newport Pier and Sunny saw the ocean for the first time.  It was freeeezing. The tide was high, the ocean was loud, and Sunny was a bit scared of it. We took a boat out for a sea lion tour.

Later that day, we headed to the beach. Sunny had been talking about building sand castles non-stop. She had a BLAST!  She threw a huge tantrum when we had to leave.

Wednesday, we headed back to the Pier and we walked about 3 miles along the trail. We saw an Elementary school right on the beach. Very cool.

Around noon, we checked out of our hotel and headed to Anaheim for our next hotel, The Super 8.  Rodney and I stayed there before and it's only a short walk from Disneyland. Super nice too.

We checked in, ate some snacks and walked around for awhile. The next day we would be leaving for Disney bright and early.

On Thursday, we hopped on a bus and headed to Disneyland at 9 am.  We are not to smart. We didn't get fast passes.  The crowd was outrageous. The lines were anywhere from 40-60 minutes.

We had a stroller, a backpack full of snacks and water, and a very excited toddler.  This was an early birthday present for her.

She wanted to see Tinkerbell and Mickey right away.  There was a very long wait to see them. We managed. Worth it.

Around noon, we headed back on the bus and headed back to the hotel for lunch. Most people would not go through that stress and eat at the park. I must add that Disneyland has some of the best food in the world. Very expensive but I hear it's worth it big time. Especially the gumbo in the New Orlean's part of the park.  

We headed back after a short break at hotel and got on only a few more rides in Fantasy Land and Toon Town.

All in all, we spent about 11 hours there and only got to ride less then 10 rides.  Next time fast passes will be a requirement!

Disneyland was magical and so worth it for Sunny's sake. When we got back to hotel that night, she fell asleep right away.

Friday was our last day and we headed to Knottsberry Farm.  This park was so quiet and the lines were less then 5 minutes. We spent a lot of time in the kid park and Sunny rode the same rides over and over and over.  Anything for Sunny!

We spent a full day at the Knottsberry and between that and Disney, we were tired out. We got back about 5 pm and headed out to eat for the first time all week. We did the California Pizza Kitchen.

That place is so good. Rather expensive but the best food around. I saw way too many things I wanted and sordive went overboard. Big time.  Oh well.

 Saturday, we headed home.  Sunny was so great on the way home. She loved every second of this vacation.

I took tons of pictures on my phone. So convenient, but no the best quality. I am just glad we have the memories.  These pictures are in no particular order.

Easy Beef & Brocolli Stir-fry

Today was our big grocery trip. Grandma P came in last night and she came with us.  Trying to find the healthiest options was a little hard, but after we finally checked out, I felt great about our choices.  Our goal is too save money by not eating out.  Our hotels are going to have a microwave and fridge, so this helps a lot.

Since our goal is to eat all the food that will go bad in the fridge before we leave, I wanted to use all the leftover brocolli up. Remember Rodney brought home about 5 pound of brocolli last week. Ya, it's been fun trying to think up recipes on how to eat this pretty tree as Sunny calls it.

Sunny is so excited about Disneyland and the beach. I am so glad we are celebrating her 3rd birthday there this week. What a memory for all of us.  I love seeing the excitement through a child.

Sunny is mellowing out big time. Sure, she has her days, but my goodness, what a breath of fresh air. Turning 3 and she is changing. She was such a hard baby and hard toddler, up until now.  Someone told me something very interesting and I so agree with it.  She said that those who have really mellow babies end up having harder toddlers, and those with harder babies end up having more mellow 3 and 4 year olds.  This makes me feel so great!

Here is a great recipe for a busy weekday or weekend.  Brocolli has never tasted better, besides adding it to cheesy soup, it really is delicious!

INGREDIENTS

1. • 1/2  cup soy sauce
   • 1 T. sesame oil 
   • 1 tablespoon honey
   • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped or grated
   • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely chopped or grated
   • 2 or more T. cornstarch
   • 1/4 c. beef broth or stock
   • 1 pound boneless sirloin, tri tip, flank or skirt steak - sliced into 2 x 1/2 inch strips
   • About 2 c. fresh broccoli florets
   •  vegetable oil

PREPARATION

1. 1. Whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, garlic and ginger.
   2. Place the beef in a Ziploc bag (or glass bowl), pouring in half of the sauce mixture to coat the beef. Marinate for either 20 minutes on the counter or covered overnight in the fridge.
   3. Whisk the cornstarch and hot beef broth together and add to the remaining sauce mixture.
   4. Heat a wok or large sauté pan over high heat, add 2 teaspoons oil and add the beef. Cook for 4 minutes and remove beef to a clean bowl.
   5. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil to the pan and cook the broccoli for 2 minutes.
   6. Add the beef back into the pan. Make a well in the center and pour in the sauce. Cook until the sauce is thick and everything is heated through, about 2 minutes.
   7. Serve over rice.\\
   8. Recipe Adapted from  http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/beef-and-broccoli-stir-fry

Pregnancy Goals

I have set a lot of goals for myself this year. I am terrible at following them, yet remembering what I set for myself in the first place.  However, since being pregnant, I realized I have not set any new goals.  Pregnacy is a whole new ballgame for me.  The goals I set for myself not pregnant do not always apply when I am pregnant, so here are my new goals and an explanation of why I am choosing these goals.

1.  Eat less sugar. I am the worst at this. I have the world's worst sweet tooth.

2.  Improve my posture so I don't have to return to the chiropracter so often. The chiropracter is expensive, even the tiny bit that insurance does pay!! The last three times I went to the chiro, I felt it was a total waste of money.  I am not going to say who it is, but my gosh, the guy charges an arm and a leg and does nothing but run this dull device down my back.  He invests in no new equipment either and I get the impression he thinks people are idiots and don't know the difference. Believe me, people know!

So my posture is bad. Horribly bad. I have a curved spine thanks to horrible genetics and it takes more effort and thinking to remember to stand up straight. It does not come naturally to me at all. My mom has the same problem.  Not only is bad posture horrible for your health and well-being, but it's so unattractive.  During pregnacy I suffer worse from bad posture. I am making a conscious effort to stand up straight and tall no matter what.

3. Continue to go to gym and fitness classes.  Pregnancy makes me tired and lazy. Taking care of a busy toddler doesn't add more energy.  Going to my classes often only helps me sleep better at night, but helps me improve my eating habits.  An added bonus is it's such a social place. I love running into so many people I know, making new friends there, and just having adult conversation for once.

4. Stop Self-criticism. I have to improve on this. I thought it was only a high school and 20's things, but I am a married with a child, and this needs to stop.
I over- analyze everything and it's a negative trait I wish would end.

5. Finish a task, stop procrastinating!  I love working on house projects, particularly, but I often start many of them and leave them uncompleted, which only bugs me more.

6.  Spend more time outdoors.  Sunny loves to be outside and I know it's good for both of us.

That's all I can think of for now. I am sure I will think of others later.

Brocolli & Cheddar Soup

One of my pregnancy issues is not being able to stomach vegetables. They are extremely hard for me to eat.  However, this soup was no problem for me. It was so rich in flavor with hints of chicken stock and butter flavor and loaded with sharp cheddar cheese and veggies. This soup didn't just have brocolli. It also had celery, onion and carrots. Everything blended so well. The toasted sour dough bread soaking in the warm soup was the best part.

I didn't even mind the small peices of glass found in my soup. It was a bit uncomfortable I must say, but it didn't keep me going back for seconds.

So how did the glass end up in my soup and Rodney's.  It started with Sunny grabbing a chair like she always does, trying to help make dinner, her reaching for my favorite Pioneer Woman Glass water mug, taking a drink, and then slamming the mug down as hard as she could. Glass shattered everywhere. My poor favorite mug I just bought.  I admit I did lose my cool.

Water and glass was everywhere, dinner prep was put on hold, and the stove was pulled out so water would be soaked up with towels.  Bits of glass was everywhere.

The only good that came out of this was I got to see how much crud was underneath the stove.  After sweeping and mopping and putting the fan out, it was finally done and clean!  Phew!

I decided to put myself in time out and just collect my thoughts. Sunny is getting to be a handful lately, reaching and grabbing for everything.   As I sat there, all mad over my mug, I fell asleep.  It's only a mug afterall.

So, back to the soup.  Sunny of course wouldn't touch a drop of it, but Rodney and I had no problem finishing it off.  Now Rodney is baking away as he does on Sunday. making a peanut butter and chocolate cheesecake.  We eat A LOT of sugar on the weekends!

Ingredients:

5 T. Butter
1/4 c. onion, chopped
2-3 T. flour
1 cup half and half or milk (not skim)
1 1/2 c. chicken stock or broth
1 carrot, chopped fine
1 celery, chopped fine
2 c. brocolli florets, chopped
1 1/2 c. sharp cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Melt butter in large pot.  Add onions and saute until tender, Then whisk in flour.  Add celery and carrot and cook on low medium for about 3 minutes.  Add chicken stock and brocolli and bring to boil. Reduce heat and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes until veggies are tender.
Add half n half or milk last and allow to simmer another 5 minutes.  Add cheese and stir. Serve.
Note: If soup is too thick, add about 1/2 c. of liquid and this will thin it out. Also, if you want to double this batch, increase your liquid and cheese amount.

Source: Allrecipes.com  Recipe by Sandy Lafleur

Gender Reveal

When I was pregnant with Sunny, I thought I would find out, however, at my 20 week BIG ultrasound, they asked me if I wanted to know. Suddenly, I just couldn't find out.

Instead I asked them to write it down for me and place it in a sealed envelope. Rodney agreed to wait until I was ready.  I thought I would sneak a peak and look, but I never did. Not until I was 38 weeks.

I guess you can say I was very patient at that time. However,

This time I couldn't wait to find out.  On Thursday, I had a Dr. appt. I took Sunny with me.

  Anyway, I sat in the room and Sunny looked at the big TV and we decided to find out.

Here is what thoughts entered my mind.
For Boy: This would be different. I like the idea of having a son. Rodney really wants a boy bad. He wants to have a son to take to scouts and do all the guy stuff with.  Boys have a lot of energy usually, but I am used to that in Sunny. She is very much like a boy. She is extremely active, never can sit still for long, and loves to climb and play with cars and trains. I am used to this.  A boy could be great.  BUT:
That would mean I would have to get all new stuff. Everything I already have is for a girl. Would Sunny mind sharing a room with a boy? Oh, this is so minor in the gist of it all.  I would love a son, I think.

For Girl:  Sunny would enjoy a sister. They would be best friends and practice braiding each other's hair. They could share dolls, and clothes if they wanted, and a girl could get a lot of Sunny's handydowns. This would save a lot. Yes, I like the idea of another girl.

So as I imagined life with either gender, the tec asked me if I was ready.  I said Yes!

Drumroll.........................

Rodney really wanted a boy, and I wasn't sure how he would feel about another girl, but he is getting used to the idea of being the only guy around here.

I am thrilled, I was so excited I just wanted to shout it to the world.  Can't wait to meet our bundle of joy.

Taco Bell Tostada's

Those exhausting weekday nights. The last thing most people want to think about is what to make for dinner.  I imagine how nice life with be if I had a fairy doing everything for me.  But then again, that is not what the gospel teaches us. We all are here on this earth to work. It's good for us.

Some days, it's more stressful then it should be. That is why there are some nights where having a can of beans, corn tortillas, and toppings on hand, makes for a pretty quick dinner to through together.

I remember when I started high school.  They had a Taco Bell in the cafeteria. I thought this was the next best thing in my life.  I remember my youth, and all the times I went to Taco Bell after a movie for a quick dinner. I never could get enough.

So Sophomore year, I had seminary right before lunch.  I sat in the back row. I remember never paying attention very well. Instead, I was drawing pictures of my lunch. Crazy isn't that? Lots of pictures of tostada's and burritos. Hey, it helped my stomach to stop growling.

Our seminary teacher was way cool, He let us leave for lunch about 5 minutes early. That is where I would run, not walk, to the cafeteria to be the first one in line for my Taco Bell fix.

So what did I end up getting?

It was always the same.  Tostada, maybe 3 of them, occassionally a bean burrito with a side of sour cream or chicken soft taco, and maybe a dozen Taco Bell mild sauce packets. I love that stuff, and I even discovered the mild sauce at the grocery store.

I would literally inhale the food. I was starving and growing and my metabolism was very fast. I din't gain a pound from this fatty food.

And remember, I am lactose intolerant, but back in high school, I didn't care. I put up with stomach aches and all the downfalls from dairy. It was worth it to me back then. So worth it!!

I know Taco Bell is crap food now, but it's still so good, right?

So, in making these beautiful tostadas, I remembered my days of Taco Bell.  It's kindof cool you can buy Taco Bell kits at the grocery store to really re-create that taste you love.

                                                             My staple food in high school


Easy Taco Bell Tostada

Corn tortilla's fried in oil until hard (or already prepared ones)
1 or more can of refried beans, heated up
sharp or mild cheddar
shredded ice-berg lettuce
chopped tomatos
Taco Bell Mild or Hot salsa

Spread beans on top of tostada, then add rest of topping.  Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookie With Peanut Butter Reeses Cup Center

I have this rule I set for myself. I try to reduce my sugar as best I can during the week, but on weekends, bring on the sweets.  My favorite thing in the history of ever is chocolate chip cookies. Not just any though. I have made some horrible recipes. My favorite is the classic Nestle recipe, which is found on the back on the chocolate chip bag. That one is great.

I love my cookies with just the right balance of sweet n salty. If the salty factor is missing, the cookie is a no go for me.

If you add my favorite candy bar to the equation, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, then I might be in trouble.

Today, we had some leftover chocolate chip cookie dough in the freezer and left over Easter candy, which happened to be Reeses Eggs.  Oh yum!

So before I get onto the cookie recipe, I want to share a little bit about Sunny.  She changes so frequently and I am not too great at running to my blog to record every little cute thing or not so cute thing so does.

So, while fresh in my mind, let me first brag about this little bugger.

1. Call me biased, but she is the cutest and smartest little girl I have ever seen.

2. She knows how to spell her name, count to 20, do her ABC'S, knows all her shapes, including what a octagon and hexagon is, has incredible comprehension skills where she can name the character's of a movie or book after she has read/seen it.

3. She is completing complex puzzles for ages 3 and up. I can't even do them.

4. Her vocabulary is impressive. A week ago, on our way into town, she was sitting quietly in her carseat when she said, "Mom, change lanes, okay."  My first thought was who on earth taught her about lanes???
5.She can identify all the letters of the alphabet and numbers 1-12. She is currently working on wrting them.
6. She has amazing artistic skills and patience.She paints almost daily and makes amazing abstract art. When she colors, she stays in the lines very well.

7.  She is extremely friendly, drawing attention to us each time we are out and about. When she sees a small child, either boy or girl, she will wave and shout, "Hello, little girl, Hello, little boy."  How adorable is that?

8. She gives most kids hugs when she sees them.

9. She loves her dance class and it must be the highlight of her week.

10. She talks about Disneyland and Mickey Mouse often.  We decided we are taking her there a few weeks before her 3rd birthday as a birthday gift.

11. Loves to sit in her carseat and go on car rides. This is a huge change from when she was under 2 and screamed in her carseat.

12. Loves to jump on trampoline and LOVES to sing. I find it hilarious that she asks when choir practice is so she can sing first, and then play with "little boy"

13. Loves having her hair cut, curled, and her nails painted. She actually holds very still.

14. Loves to help in the kitchen. Whenever I am at the counter preparing dinner, or Rodney is baking, she will pull a chair up and try to help. Not sure this is a blessing or a curse.

Now onto the NOT SO GREAT STUFF:

1. The older she gets, the pickier she gets. She refuses all meals I serve.  My rule is eat or go hungry. She prefers to go hungry. Sad, but true.

She has gotten so picky, that the only foods she willingly eats now are bread, chips, cheddar cheese, cookies, pancakes, muffins, banana and once in awhile maybe a cucumber or carrot.

She is sassy and strongwilled, I have said this on every milestone update.  To clarify, she doesn't like authority or being told what to do.

Still hates sleep. Stopped taking naps shortly after she turned 2.

Hates having her teeth brushed.

Absolute refusal to sit on potty. Might sit on it once in a blue moon.

Still gets out of her bed at night.

Loves watching cartoons a little too much. I'm working on no more then an hour a day as they say.

Phew! Well, that's her milestone updates for now. Next month, she turns 3!!! Yikes!  A lot of my family and friends tell me that age 3 and 4 is much harder then age 2.  I am learning there is truth to that for sure. She is getting so much more independant and determined and I know things will get more challenging.  I need to get prepared.

As I wrap up this post, I would like to mention how nice this rain is for the past 3 days. I love loud thunder and I know our grass needs this.  The air is cold and chilly, but what better way to enjoy this Sunday, then enjoying some freshly baked cookies.


Chocolate Chip Cookie With Peanut Butter Reeses Cup Center 

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.)   Nestle Chocolate Chips (Milk or Dark
• 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
• For the center: Reeses Peanut Butter cups. I used our left over Reese's Chocolate Eggs from Easter.

What You'll Do:

PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. 

BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. 

PAN COOKIE VARIATION: Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Prepare dough as above. Spread into prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack. Makes 4 dozen bars. 

SLICE AND BAKE COOKIE VARIATION: 
PREPARE dough as above. Divide in half; wrap in waxed paper. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. Shape each half into 15-inch log; wrap in wax paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.* Preheat oven to 375° F. Cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices; place on ungreased baking sheets. You may now place a peanut butter cup in the center of each cookie, or you can choose to place the  candy on the cookie immediately after coming out of oven. Both work.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Makes about 5 dozen cookies. 

Source: Verybestbakingbynestle.com