School Picture Day

Alyssa's Kindergarten picture. What a cutie!!!

Fall Fun

There is a lot of fun during Fall. Pumpkin carvings, corn mazes and one Alyssa forgot... Flu shots!

I call this one our before pic! Alyssa knew what was coming...

Keira didn't... see how happy?! They were too distraught for the after pics. I was (politely) told not to take a picture. Just know... they were not happy with me after this. But seriously, Keira has some kind of reaction to the flu shot. Her leg get huge , red and swollen. I think this may be her last one. She just kept rubbing her leg for three days saying "my leg hurts, owie" =( I really hate shots.

We made up for the flu shots though. Daddy helped carve a pumpkin with Alyssa.

Keira wanted to help with the picture only. Both the girls didn't like the inside of the pumpkin.

What would fall be without Sugar cookies. Yum!

I love Keira's big smile!

Ohhhhh.... I have been inspired by my neighbor Brooke. She is always posting such yummy dinners. So I was brave and made this yummy 3-meat Chili I found on one of her links. Nothing better than warm chili on a cold Fall night. Yum! I'll post the recipe. I wanted to serve it in a bread bowl... but I made the mistake of grocery shopping on a Saturday afternoon. They were sold out of everything! Anyway, get brave, try it out... it's yummy!

Chili in Bread Bowls
From Taste of Home
SERVINGS 9
CATEGORY: Main Dish
METHOD: Slow Cooker
PREP: 15 min.
COOK: 420 min. (I cooked my meat all the way & then cooked it on high in the crock-pot for 3 hours)
TOTAL: 435 min.
INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 pound each lean beef stew meat, boneless skinless chicken breast and boneless pork, cut into cubes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped*
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15-1/2 ounces) navy beans or great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce (I added a bit more, I didn't want it to be dry)
1 tablespoon chili powder (I didn't have everything... so I improvised, a bit.)
1 garlic clove, minced
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
9 large hard rolls
Sour cream, chopped green onions and sweet red pepper, optional

DIRECTIONS
In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Add meat in batches; toss to coat. In a large skillet, brown meat in oil in batches. Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker with a slotted spoon. Stir in onion, peppers, tomatoes, beans, tomato sauce and seasonings. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or until the meat is tender. Cut tops off rolls; carefully hollow out bottom halves. Spoon about 1 cup of chili into each roll. Garnish with sour cream, onions and red pepper if desired. Yield: 9 servings.

Family Pics... finally

Well... after 2 years, we finally got our family pictures done! Hallelujah! Shane's sister, Tiffany, did these for us. I am sooooo happy with them! It was FREEZING and she still got my girls to smile! I have to give her a shameless plug. She is super cheap & does it as a side job for fun. Let me know if you are interested and I'll give you her number. Thanks Tiff!!!!

GO MARK!!!

I am so proud of my brother Mark that I just have to brag!!! He has not smoked for over a month now!!! WHOOO-HOOOO!!! Great job Mark! Oh.. and for those who don't know, this lovely gal with him is his fiancee Lyndie! Welcome to the family! Be sure to e-mail Mark some words of praise and support at ruzenlire@hotmail.com
WAY TO GO MARK!!! WE LOVE YOU!!!

Alyssa's 1st Day of Kindergarden

School Started 3 weeks ago and I am now blogging it! I think I am finally OK with Alyssa gone everyday until noon!!! I know... first grade is going to kill me!

This was the open house for Alyssa. She has two teachers. Mrs. Cowan (left) & Mrs. Durrant (right).

This is Alyssa's first day. She loved her new uniform in the morning. When I picked her up after school, she hated it because it was too hot and hard to play on the playground with. 3 weeks later, she's better about it. I love not having to fight with her about matching colors on outfits.



This is where Alyssa sits. However, today they moved her to the back... I wonder if Alyssa is too social for the middle seat. =) I can't wait for parent teacher conference.

This was how Keira entertained herself while her big sister was at school. The sunglasses, pacifier, succor and cell phone were all in my diaper bag! I am such a pack-rat! I didn't even knew I had a pacifier in the house since Keira never used one when she was a baby. Keira misses Alyssa the most! When it's time to get Alyssa, Keira RUNS to the car with a toy for her big sister.

Sleepover

What happens when you get 4 girls together and leave them alone for 5 minutes???

This is what happens! AHHHHHH! My House! Keira is in the middle there. She loved having 2 extra mom's to baby her! We helped babysit my brother & his girlfriends kids over the weekend. We had a great time and I miss them already!


The kids attacking Grandpa Ray's house. Trust me though... he's not as defenseless as he would like you to think! Even when he's outnumbered by 3 squealing girls!!!

The best part of the zoo!


Dalia, Alyssa, Marcela, Keira & Grandma Gina

Creepy!

Every statue was a climbing photo-op. No statue was safe!

I LOVE this picture!!! This was just before the bird show.

California Rapture, cousin to Bald Eagle... but double the size! This one is still a baby! Very cool!

Love at first sight!


See what I mean about the statues?!

Daddy's in charge

I left in the morning to get some kid-free errands done. I came home to this....

Shane doesn't have any boys... so his girls have to been rough, tough hockey fans! Go Colorado!!! Oh, if you can't tell, they are holding up number 1 fingers.

Utah State Fair 2008

We had a blast at the fair this year!

I love Alyssa's face here! What a cutie!

I love the Little Hands on the Farm! What a great idea!!!

Ewww.... this is dirty mom!

Keira tried to eat the fake apples. Yum!

I hate those clowns that make the balloon animals. First you stand in line for much to long... then you finally get your chance and the lady doesn't know how to make what you really want. So you settle for a dumb hat and flower. Then the kids fight over which of the dumb balloons they really never wanted in the first place... then it pops... then the tears come. THEN they want you to go back and wait in line again for another one! AHHHHHHH!!!

Can't smile... eating!


Ewww... don't touch me!

I love the big yellow slide!

This was the highlight of the whole day!!!

This video is really long because Shane put the camera in his pocket without stopping the video... I don't have an edit program. So... just watch a few seconds and click it off. Sorry... I am still learning how to blog properly.

What a way to finish the day! Got to love that sugar!!!