Sausage Broccoli Chowder

Mike made this for dinner tonight and it was soooo yummy! The kids even thought it was great!
2 cans corn

1/2 to 1 # Italian sausage

1/2 cup celery chopped

1 large onion chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

3 large potatoes, chopped

2 cups chicken broth

2 cups chopped broccoli

2 cans condensed cream of broccoli soup

1 cup half and half

Drain corn, reserving liquid. Brown sausage, pour off all but 2 TBSP drippings. Saute celery, onion and pepper for 3 minutes. Add reserved corn liquid, potatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a boil; simmer for 5 minutes. Add broccoli, corn and sausage. Simmer 5 minutes or until veggies are cooked. In a bowl, mix soup and half and half. Whisk into soup. Simmer 5 minutes, but do not boil. Makes a large pan full.

While Mom trains...

On Saturday we went to the Rec Center so I could do my training and Mike took the kids swimming. I finished my workout and they still wanted to swim. I think they were so excited to be in the pool in January, since that only happens in AZ!! The big splash you see is Carter's cannonball. I just caught the end of it!

This was me while I was waiting for the kids to grow tired of the pool! Nice red face, you can see I was working hard!

Baby Steps...'Til I'm full grown

My friend Kathy has inspired me for one of my New Year's goals. Instead of setting a goal to lose weight, I am setting a fitness goal. I am going to do a 5K every other month, starting in March. In September I am going to do a 10K. My goal is to walk the first 2 (March and May) and run the July, Sept and the November. I looked up on the internet how to train for a 5K, so I am one week into my training, so far so good. I guess this is my "before" picture (nice, huh!).

This was the first injury of the training season. I was downstairs on the treadmill and Sammy was talking to me. I was distracted and fell, while the treadmill was still going. Ouch!! Sam and Carter were so cute because they were really worried. I survived, then they had to jump on the treadmill so they could train!!

Birthday Weekend

I just found out that my SIL Krissy has the same b-day as me, so I want to give her a late shout out and hope it was great!!

This is the start of my b-day celebration at work. We had brownies, watched The Office and opened my present, which was a "The Office Trivia Game". I have already played it (I must admit I am pretty good), and all I have to say is "GAME ON"!!

These people are the lunch crew. They are sometimes the only reason I get out of bed. Besides, they actually laugh at my jokes (sometimes).

After school, my friends took me out for a "girl's night" to PF Chang's. Can we say YUUUMMMMMMMMMMMM!! My friend Kathy ran a 5K the next morning (crazy girl).

The next day Kelly and I took the kids out to Paradise Cafe for lunch and saw Bedtime Stories. We always have fun together (with or without the kids!!)

This is the official b-day and when I looked outside, this was the sight. It was so pretty with all the frost on the trees. And yes, it is really that cold!

Later that night we made the annual trek to...where else? Outback!!

I know that you think that I am done with the b-day, but nope! Mike invited our friends Tiff and Cam over for cake and ice cream. Sammy made the cake, Mike made the frosting and I got to enjoy it!

Sam's hair

Sammy has finally gotten to the point where she will let me do her hair. She complains, but she looks so dang cute when she lets me do it. Today she even let me do it (not on Sunday) and take pictures of it! What a cutie!!

Sunday Dinners

This is our cousin Rachel who comes over on Sundays for dinner. She is a good sport and the kids adore her. She is a very PATIENT person to hang out with our family!!

Sometimes we can even talk her into playing games with us. Tonight she got roped into guitar hero. Next week, The Office trivia game!

Now that the camera is working, the boys can't get enough of themselves. Tomorrow I am going to make sure to get some of Sammy!!

What do you do in the wintertime...

Hmmm...does this look familiar? Dev wants to be like Carter.

We have gotten so much snow this year that we have to be creative with what to do with it. My neighbor made the kids a "snow tunnel" for them to play in. Carter, Devin and Dan hang out in the tunnels, then come in the house for hot chocolate.

Our favorite meatloaf

1 TBSP oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 packed brown sugar
4 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp dijon mustard
2 tsp Worcestershire
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp Tabasco
1# hamburger
1# Italian sausage
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
1/3 cup fresh parsley

1. Heat oven to 350

2. Saute onions until soft about 5 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and cook 15 seconds. Set aside.

3. Mix ketchup, brown sugar and vinegar; set aside.

4. Mix the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Add the onion mixture.

5. Press meat mixture onto a foil-lined baking sheet and shape into a 9 X 5 loaf. Brush half the ketchuo mixture on top and bake 45 minutes.

6. Brush remaining ketchup mixture on top and bake 15 more min. Remove from oven and let it cool 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

This is from the Test Kitchen Family Cookbook.

What did you do on vacation?

Got a haircut!! Tasha (my neighbor) cuts their hair and I bake her a loaf a bread. The law of consecration works in our neighborhood!

Carter was literally climbing the walls over the break!! When you come to my house, Carter is always climbing the stairs or the walls. He was telling me a story and didn't know I had a camera until he looked down.

Santa brought guitar hero to the family. Now everyone is a rocker! You should see Sam with a microphone, she has the moves to be the next American Idol.

We have a camera again!

Our house is always safe because we have so many superheros
living with us. Currently we are home to IronMan (aka Devin)

The family got Guitar Hero for Christmas and Carter now knows

what he wants to do with his life. Become a guitar hero with the

name "DARK KNIGHT". He keeps the hat down low so no one knows

who he is.

Sam and Devin getting ready for the movies.

This is what happens when the camera gets fixed and the kids get ahold of it! This is what is left of our snow in the front and the back. Sam takes a picture of herself!