Saturday, November 26, 2011
Cornbelly's
A new baby did not hinder our yearly visit to Cornbelly's. Afternoon: moms & kids, evening: couples
**Tous les ans, nous allons à la foire de Cornbelly's aux alentours de Halloween. L'après-midi: Mamans & enfants. Le soir:les couples**
Don't have Flash Player? Click here to view album.
**Tous les ans, nous allons à la foire de Cornbelly's aux alentours de Halloween. L'après-midi: Mamans & enfants. Le soir:les couples**
Don't have Flash Player? Click here to view album.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Hughes Kids
It was Chloe's first time to church today. I was able to snap this shot right before. Only 3 shots and I got all of them to look at the same time, whohoo!
**Chloé est allée à l'église pour la première fois aujourd'hui. J'ai réussi à prendre cette photo juste avant. J'ai juste pris 3 photos et j'en ai eu une ou ils regardaient tous en même temps!**
Enamored **Amoureux**
We are all enamored with our sweet Chloe. Even Gabriel, who suffered a little bit from the big change has nothing but sweet words and caresses for his baby sister.
** Nous sommes tous amoureux de notre douce Chloé. Même Gabriel qui a souffert un peu du grand changement, n'est que caresses et doux mots pour sa petite soeur.**
Trouble viewing slide show? Click here.
** Nous sommes tous amoureux de notre douce Chloé. Même Gabriel qui a souffert un peu du grand changement, n'est que caresses et doux mots pour sa petite soeur.**
Trouble viewing slide show? Click here.
Story of the Birth- **L' accouchement**
My waters broke at 3am on Thursday after a series of Braxton hicks. I had a hard time falling back asleep because I was so excited. Our baby was coming today!! In the morning, life went on as usual except Cam stayed home from work. We began to wait for contractions. There were a few here and there, but nothing strong and nothing consistent. My midwife suggested I take castor oil. I got scared. I did not need digestive havoc during labor. We tried some homeopathy. Contractions picked up a little bit while I was watching a movie with Cam (Fast Five ;) ). But then they went away.
By 4:15, I decided to take the castor oil as directed by my midwife-- 4oz oil, 4 oz OJ and a pinch of baking soda. The effects should start coming in 2 to 4 hours. Around 5pm mild contractions picked back up. At 5:30, Cam and I headed to the school to tell our kids teachers we wouldn’t make it to our 7pm SEP. LOL! It was quite the adventure as the walking around intensified the contractions. Good thing there were chairs lining the hallways everywhere! We got to meet with Claire’s teacher briefly and were waiting for Michael’s teacher to have a little break to see us when a strong contraction came over me. I told Cam we had to go! We barely made it home for the effects of the castor oil. It was 6pm. I ran from the car, up the stairs, yes I said RAN, but a strong contraction stopped me in the stairs, steps away from my bathroom. Cam had stayed downstairs. I had to yell for help, it was kind of funny. Cam rushed over and supported me the rest of the way. From then on, it was intense. Fortunately, the digestive effects of the castor oil came with no discomfort whatsoever.
At 6:30 the contractions reached their peak. My contractions are never very close together which is nice. It gives me a chance to joke around a bit in between. ;) I endured the contractions on my hands and knees on the bathroom rug. I would have loved to get in the tub at that point but had to wait for the intestinal purging to subside. It did at 7pm so I climbed in. That’s when the midwife’s assistants arrived, all dressed up because they were just at a dinner together. It made it kind of like a party! The first urge to push came about 20 minutes later. It wasn’t nearly as strong as with my other babies. Another few minutes went by with no pushing and contractions too small to seem productive. At the next strong contraction, I gave it all I had, even though the urge to push was frustratingly weak. The baby’s head came out. I let out a big “Yes” of relief, I thought I was done. To my surprise, only the head was out! It took another excruciating push, the longest 30 seconds of my life, to get the shoulders and the rest of the body out. My previous baby had come out with one quick push so I fully expected this one to be just as easy. This last struggle felt impossible. But finally, I got to hold our little princess in my arms. It was 7:31. The midwife told me later that the way Chloe came out, face up (posterior position), is what made it harder. After reading up on posterior position deliveries, I am very grateful mine went as smoothly as it did and with no tearing.
Oh what an indescribable joy to finally meet Chloe! Every new baby is just as awe inspiring as the one before.
**J’ai perdu mes eaux à 3 heures du matin après une série de fausses contractions. J’ai eu du mal à me rendormir, trop surexcitée à l’idée que notre bébé allait arriver dans la journée ! Le matin venu, la vie a continué comme d’habitude, sauf que Cam n’est pas aller au travail. On s’est mis à attendre les contractions. Il y en avait de temps en temps mais rien de fort et rien de consistent. Ma sage-femme est venue et m’a donné une bouteille d’huile de ricin en expliquant qu’elle pensait que c’était la meilleure chose à faire dans ma situation. J’ai eu peur. Je ne voulais vraiment pas de cyclone digestif pendant le travail d’accouchement ! On a donc essayé un remède homéopathique. Les contractions se sont intensifiées un petit peu pendant que je regardais un film avec Cam mais ensuite elles se sont estompées.
A 16h15, j’étais prête pour l’huile de ricin. Je devrais sentir les effets dans 2 ou 4 heures Vers 17h00, des contractions moyennes ont recommencé. A 17h30, Cam et moi sommes allés à l’école des enfants pour dire à leurs instituteurs que nous n’allions pas pouvoir venir à nos rendez-vous prévus pour 19h00. C’était une grande aventure car tout ce déplacement a intensifié les contractions. Heureusement qu’il y avait des chaises le long des couloirs partout ! Nous avons pu nous assoir avec la maîtresse de Claire, entre 2 autres rendez-vous. Nous attendions que le maître de Michael puisse nous parler quand une grosse contraction m’est tombée dessus. J’ai dit à Cam qu’il fallait partir TOUT DE SUITE ! Nous sommes rentrés à la maison juste à temps pour les effets de l’huile de ricin. Il était 18h00. J’ai couru, oui couru, de la voiture jusqu’ aux escaliers menant à notre chambre mais une grosse contraction m’a stoppé net à quelques marches de mon but. J’ai dû appeler Cam à mon aide. Il a accouru et m‘a soutenu le reste du chemin. Après ça, les choses sont restées intenses. A mon grand soulagement, les effets digestifs de l’huile de ricin n’ont été accompagnés d’aucun malaise.
A 18h30, les contractions ont atteint leur sommet. Mes contractions ne sont jamais très proches l’une de l’autre ce qui me permet de blaguer un petit peu entre chaque. J’étais à quatre- pattes sur le tapis de la salle de bain. J’aurais vraiment aimé me glisser dans le bain mais je voulais attendre que les effets purgatifs de l’huile de ricin disparaissent. A 19h00, j’ai pu entrer dans le bain. C’est à ce moment que les assistantes de ma sage-femme sont arrivées, toutes bien habillées car elles revenaient juste d’un repas ensemble. Ça a apporté une atmosphère festive ! Après 20 minutes, l’envie de pousser est arrivée. Elle n’était pas aussi forte qu’avec mes autres bébés. Plusieurs minutes se sont écoulées sans pousser et avec des contractions trop faibles pour être productives. A la prochaine grosse contraction, j’ai poussé autant que je pouvais malgré le manque frustrant d’envie de pousser. La tête est sortie! J’étais soulagée car je croyais que j’avais fini. Quelle ne fut pas ma surprise et mon découragement quand je me suis rendue compte que seulement la tête était sortie ! Il a fallu pousser encore une fois dans l’atroce douleur, les 30 secondes les plus longues de ma vie, pour faire sortir les épaules et puis le reste du corps. Mon 3e bébé est sorti avec juste une poussée rapide et donc je m’attendais à ce que cet accouchement soit tout aussi facile. Le dernier effort m’a semblé impossible. Mais enfin, à 19h31, j’ai pu tenir notre petite princesse dans mes bras. Ma sage-femme m’a expliqué que la façon dont Chloé est sortie, le visage vers le haut, est ce qui a rendu l’accouchement plus difficile. Après avoir recherché un peu le sujet, je suis reconnaissante que les choses se soient si bien passées et sans déchirements !
Oh quelle joie indescriptible d’enfin rencontrer Chloé ! Chaque nouveau bébé me remplit d’autant d’émoi que celui d’avant. **
Trouble viewing slide show? Click here
By 4:15, I decided to take the castor oil as directed by my midwife-- 4oz oil, 4 oz OJ and a pinch of baking soda. The effects should start coming in 2 to 4 hours. Around 5pm mild contractions picked back up. At 5:30, Cam and I headed to the school to tell our kids teachers we wouldn’t make it to our 7pm SEP. LOL! It was quite the adventure as the walking around intensified the contractions. Good thing there were chairs lining the hallways everywhere! We got to meet with Claire’s teacher briefly and were waiting for Michael’s teacher to have a little break to see us when a strong contraction came over me. I told Cam we had to go! We barely made it home for the effects of the castor oil. It was 6pm. I ran from the car, up the stairs, yes I said RAN, but a strong contraction stopped me in the stairs, steps away from my bathroom. Cam had stayed downstairs. I had to yell for help, it was kind of funny. Cam rushed over and supported me the rest of the way. From then on, it was intense. Fortunately, the digestive effects of the castor oil came with no discomfort whatsoever.
At 6:30 the contractions reached their peak. My contractions are never very close together which is nice. It gives me a chance to joke around a bit in between. ;) I endured the contractions on my hands and knees on the bathroom rug. I would have loved to get in the tub at that point but had to wait for the intestinal purging to subside. It did at 7pm so I climbed in. That’s when the midwife’s assistants arrived, all dressed up because they were just at a dinner together. It made it kind of like a party! The first urge to push came about 20 minutes later. It wasn’t nearly as strong as with my other babies. Another few minutes went by with no pushing and contractions too small to seem productive. At the next strong contraction, I gave it all I had, even though the urge to push was frustratingly weak. The baby’s head came out. I let out a big “Yes” of relief, I thought I was done. To my surprise, only the head was out! It took another excruciating push, the longest 30 seconds of my life, to get the shoulders and the rest of the body out. My previous baby had come out with one quick push so I fully expected this one to be just as easy. This last struggle felt impossible. But finally, I got to hold our little princess in my arms. It was 7:31. The midwife told me later that the way Chloe came out, face up (posterior position), is what made it harder. After reading up on posterior position deliveries, I am very grateful mine went as smoothly as it did and with no tearing.
Oh what an indescribable joy to finally meet Chloe! Every new baby is just as awe inspiring as the one before.
**J’ai perdu mes eaux à 3 heures du matin après une série de fausses contractions. J’ai eu du mal à me rendormir, trop surexcitée à l’idée que notre bébé allait arriver dans la journée ! Le matin venu, la vie a continué comme d’habitude, sauf que Cam n’est pas aller au travail. On s’est mis à attendre les contractions. Il y en avait de temps en temps mais rien de fort et rien de consistent. Ma sage-femme est venue et m’a donné une bouteille d’huile de ricin en expliquant qu’elle pensait que c’était la meilleure chose à faire dans ma situation. J’ai eu peur. Je ne voulais vraiment pas de cyclone digestif pendant le travail d’accouchement ! On a donc essayé un remède homéopathique. Les contractions se sont intensifiées un petit peu pendant que je regardais un film avec Cam mais ensuite elles se sont estompées.
A 16h15, j’étais prête pour l’huile de ricin. Je devrais sentir les effets dans 2 ou 4 heures Vers 17h00, des contractions moyennes ont recommencé. A 17h30, Cam et moi sommes allés à l’école des enfants pour dire à leurs instituteurs que nous n’allions pas pouvoir venir à nos rendez-vous prévus pour 19h00. C’était une grande aventure car tout ce déplacement a intensifié les contractions. Heureusement qu’il y avait des chaises le long des couloirs partout ! Nous avons pu nous assoir avec la maîtresse de Claire, entre 2 autres rendez-vous. Nous attendions que le maître de Michael puisse nous parler quand une grosse contraction m’est tombée dessus. J’ai dit à Cam qu’il fallait partir TOUT DE SUITE ! Nous sommes rentrés à la maison juste à temps pour les effets de l’huile de ricin. Il était 18h00. J’ai couru, oui couru, de la voiture jusqu’ aux escaliers menant à notre chambre mais une grosse contraction m’a stoppé net à quelques marches de mon but. J’ai dû appeler Cam à mon aide. Il a accouru et m‘a soutenu le reste du chemin. Après ça, les choses sont restées intenses. A mon grand soulagement, les effets digestifs de l’huile de ricin n’ont été accompagnés d’aucun malaise.
A 18h30, les contractions ont atteint leur sommet. Mes contractions ne sont jamais très proches l’une de l’autre ce qui me permet de blaguer un petit peu entre chaque. J’étais à quatre- pattes sur le tapis de la salle de bain. J’aurais vraiment aimé me glisser dans le bain mais je voulais attendre que les effets purgatifs de l’huile de ricin disparaissent. A 19h00, j’ai pu entrer dans le bain. C’est à ce moment que les assistantes de ma sage-femme sont arrivées, toutes bien habillées car elles revenaient juste d’un repas ensemble. Ça a apporté une atmosphère festive ! Après 20 minutes, l’envie de pousser est arrivée. Elle n’était pas aussi forte qu’avec mes autres bébés. Plusieurs minutes se sont écoulées sans pousser et avec des contractions trop faibles pour être productives. A la prochaine grosse contraction, j’ai poussé autant que je pouvais malgré le manque frustrant d’envie de pousser. La tête est sortie! J’étais soulagée car je croyais que j’avais fini. Quelle ne fut pas ma surprise et mon découragement quand je me suis rendue compte que seulement la tête était sortie ! Il a fallu pousser encore une fois dans l’atroce douleur, les 30 secondes les plus longues de ma vie, pour faire sortir les épaules et puis le reste du corps. Mon 3e bébé est sorti avec juste une poussée rapide et donc je m’attendais à ce que cet accouchement soit tout aussi facile. Le dernier effort m’a semblé impossible. Mais enfin, à 19h31, j’ai pu tenir notre petite princesse dans mes bras. Ma sage-femme m’a expliqué que la façon dont Chloé est sortie, le visage vers le haut, est ce qui a rendu l’accouchement plus difficile. Après avoir recherché un peu le sujet, je suis reconnaissante que les choses se soient si bien passées et sans déchirements !
Oh quelle joie indescriptible d’enfin rencontrer Chloé ! Chaque nouveau bébé me remplit d’autant d’émoi que celui d’avant. **
Trouble viewing slide show? Click here
Monday, October 3, 2011
Sundaes
We have ice cream sundaes every Monday after Family Home Evening. I'm not a big ice cream fan but I'm a huge sundae fan. It's all about the trimmings!
We like to layer the sauce and the ice cream and top the whole thing with whipped cream, maybe some more sauce, and a cherry. I add A LOT of toasted chopped nuts to mine too.
I posted recipes for a chocolate sauce and a caramel sauce below. These homemade sauces take the sundae experience to another level. You can use them separately or together on your sundae. The chocolate sauce is very fast and easy. The caramel sauce is a little trickier but well worth the effort! I've tried several recipes and this no-stir method is the best. You'll probably have to practice a few times until you get a good feel for the color. You might also want to experiment with pan and burner size to achieve optimal uniformity while boiling the syrup.
Caramel Sauce
(from The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook)
1/2 cup water
1 cup of sugar
1 cup heavy cream
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1- Pour the water into a medium saucepan. Add the sugar to the center of the pan, taking care not to let the granules adhere to the sides of the pan. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.
2- Once boiling, uncover and continue to boil until the syrup is straw colored (about 7 minutes). Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook until the syrup is a deep amber color (1 to 2 minutes).
3- Meanwhile, bring the cream and salt to a simmer in a small saucepan. (If the cream simmers before the syrup reaches a dark amber color, remove from heat and cover to keep warm)
4- Remove the sugar syrup from heat. Very carefully, pour about ¼ of the hot cream into the syrup and let the bubbling subside (I don’t wait until all the bubbles are gone, just until they’ve calmed down otherwise the syrup gets too cold). Add the remaining cream, vanilla, and lemon juice and let the bubbling subside. (same thing here, let the bubbling calm down not stop completely). Whisk the sauce gently until smooth.
Refrigerate leftovers. I like to keep mine in a glass syrup dispenser. To reheat, microwave for 20 seconds at a time. Stir. Repeat if necessary. You can also place the container in very hot water, wait & stir.
1/2 cup water
1 cup of sugar
1 cup heavy cream
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1- Pour the water into a medium saucepan. Add the sugar to the center of the pan, taking care not to let the granules adhere to the sides of the pan. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.
2- Once boiling, uncover and continue to boil until the syrup is straw colored (about 7 minutes). Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook until the syrup is a deep amber color (1 to 2 minutes).
3- Meanwhile, bring the cream and salt to a simmer in a small saucepan. (If the cream simmers before the syrup reaches a dark amber color, remove from heat and cover to keep warm)
4- Remove the sugar syrup from heat. Very carefully, pour about ¼ of the hot cream into the syrup and let the bubbling subside (I don’t wait until all the bubbles are gone, just until they’ve calmed down otherwise the syrup gets too cold). Add the remaining cream, vanilla, and lemon juice and let the bubbling subside. (same thing here, let the bubbling calm down not stop completely). Whisk the sauce gently until smooth.
Refrigerate leftovers. I like to keep mine in a glass syrup dispenser. To reheat, microwave for 20 seconds at a time. Stir. Repeat if necessary. You can also place the container in very hot water, wait & stir.
Chocolate Sauce
(makes 1 cup)
- 2/3 cup of heavy cream
- 5 oz (3/4 cup) bittersweet chocolate chips –
(you might prefer milk chocolate if you’re not a fan of dark chocolate)
1- Bring cream to a boil (I don’t wait for big bubbles, I prefer to check the temperature with my pinky. If it almost burns me, it’s ready!)
2- Remove from heat & add chocolate chips. Stir until melted. It’s ready to drizzle over your sundae!
Refrigerate leftovers. I like to keep mine in a glass syrup dispenser. To reheat, microwave for 20 seconds at a time. Stir. Repeat if necessary. You can also place the container in very hot water, wait & stir.
- 2/3 cup of heavy cream
- 5 oz (3/4 cup) bittersweet chocolate chips –
(you might prefer milk chocolate if you’re not a fan of dark chocolate)
1- Bring cream to a boil (I don’t wait for big bubbles, I prefer to check the temperature with my pinky. If it almost burns me, it’s ready!)
2- Remove from heat & add chocolate chips. Stir until melted. It’s ready to drizzle over your sundae!
Refrigerate leftovers. I like to keep mine in a glass syrup dispenser. To reheat, microwave for 20 seconds at a time. Stir. Repeat if necessary. You can also place the container in very hot water, wait & stir.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Celebrating Claire
Our precious little girl just turned 6! She is such a joy for our family. She is happy, kind and generous. She's constantly making drawings, notes and gifts for each of us. And she showers everyone with compliments and words of appreciation. I love her "You're the bestest mom!" and "This is the yummiest dinner ever!". I've really enjoyed having another girl in the house. We plan outfits and accessories together. Claire particularly likes choosing mine before I go on a date with Cam :) She is full of the magic and excitement of childhood and entertains us with funny anecdotes, embelished and interpreted by her fruitful imagination :)
** Notre précieuse fille vient d'avoir 6 ans! Elle apporte tant de joie à notre famille. Elle est joyeuse, douce et généreuse. Elle fait sans arrêt une quantité de dessins, petits mots et cadeaux pour chacun d'entre nous. Elle baigne ceux qui l'entourent de compliments. Comme j'aime ses "Tu es la meilleure des mamans" ou "C'est le plus délicieux des dîners". J'aime avoir une autre fille dans la maison. On aime planifier les habits et accessoires ensemble. Claire aime particulièrement m'aider à choisir mes tenues pour sortir avec son Papa. Elle est remplie de la magie et l'enthousiasme de l'enfance et nous ravit par ses anecdotes, embellies et interprétées par son imagination pétillante.
** Notre précieuse fille vient d'avoir 6 ans! Elle apporte tant de joie à notre famille. Elle est joyeuse, douce et généreuse. Elle fait sans arrêt une quantité de dessins, petits mots et cadeaux pour chacun d'entre nous. Elle baigne ceux qui l'entourent de compliments. Comme j'aime ses "Tu es la meilleure des mamans" ou "C'est le plus délicieux des dîners". J'aime avoir une autre fille dans la maison. On aime planifier les habits et accessoires ensemble. Claire aime particulièrement m'aider à choisir mes tenues pour sortir avec son Papa. Elle est remplie de la magie et l'enthousiasme de l'enfance et nous ravit par ses anecdotes, embellies et interprétées par son imagination pétillante.
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Roasted Tomato Soup
For this recipe choose very ripe tomatoes. Slicing tomatoes are nice because they stand up in the pan. Don’t get scared by the length of this recipe. It’s actually very simple.
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large garlic clove, crushed
2 tsp minced fresh garlic
1 tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground pepper
4 lbs tomatoes
2 ½ cups chicken broth
Sour creme and fresh minced basil for garnish
1- Heat oven to 400°F. In small bowl, stir together oil, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Remove core from tomatoes; brush whole tomato with oil mixture. Place in shallow baking pan. (If you’re short on time, you can sprinkle the individual ingredients without measuring them over the tomatoes. You can also use powdered garlic and dry thyme).
2- Bake 35 to 45 min or until skins have split and tomatoes have slightly collapsed. Let cool until tomatoes can be handled. Brush seasoning off tomatoes; reserve. Remove and discard skins.
3- Put tomatoes, accumulated juices and seasoning mixture in large saucepan. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high. Boil 10 to 15 minutes, until slightly thickened, using spoon to crush tomatoes. Add broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Puree slightly in blender or, if desired, pass through food mill to remove seeds.
4- Pour into soup bowls. Top each serving with sour cream and sprinkle with basil.
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large garlic clove, crushed
2 tsp minced fresh garlic
1 tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground pepper
4 lbs tomatoes
2 ½ cups chicken broth
Sour creme and fresh minced basil for garnish
1- Heat oven to 400°F. In small bowl, stir together oil, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Remove core from tomatoes; brush whole tomato with oil mixture. Place in shallow baking pan. (If you’re short on time, you can sprinkle the individual ingredients without measuring them over the tomatoes. You can also use powdered garlic and dry thyme).
2- Bake 35 to 45 min or until skins have split and tomatoes have slightly collapsed. Let cool until tomatoes can be handled. Brush seasoning off tomatoes; reserve. Remove and discard skins.
3- Put tomatoes, accumulated juices and seasoning mixture in large saucepan. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high. Boil 10 to 15 minutes, until slightly thickened, using spoon to crush tomatoes. Add broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Puree slightly in blender or, if desired, pass through food mill to remove seeds.
4- Pour into soup bowls. Top each serving with sour cream and sprinkle with basil.
Garlic Chicken Wings
This recipe is very easy, flavorful and kids love it. They can be used as appetizers or as part of a meal.
Chicken wings (fresh or frozen)
Soy sauce
Powdered garlic
Cayenne pepper (optional)
1- Place the wings in a big ziplock bag.
2- Generously sprinkle soy sauce and then garlic and cayenne, if using, all over.
3- Let marinate in the fridge at least overnight, 2 days is even better.
4- Set an oven rack about 4” from the broiling coils. Set oven on broil (High).
5- Place the wings on a broiling pan (the kind that separates the drippings from the meat). Wait until oven is hot, then place pan in oven. Broil for 15 minutes, turning the wings over half way through.
Enjoy!
Chicken wings (fresh or frozen)
Soy sauce
Powdered garlic
Cayenne pepper (optional)
1- Place the wings in a big ziplock bag.
2- Generously sprinkle soy sauce and then garlic and cayenne, if using, all over.
3- Let marinate in the fridge at least overnight, 2 days is even better.
4- Set an oven rack about 4” from the broiling coils. Set oven on broil (High).
5- Place the wings on a broiling pan (the kind that separates the drippings from the meat). Wait until oven is hot, then place pan in oven. Broil for 15 minutes, turning the wings over half way through.
Enjoy!
Friday, September 2, 2011
9 months - **9 mois**
Claire & I set up the baby clothes yesterday. We had a great girly time and we're both getting really excited!
**Claire et moi avons mis les vêtements de bébé dans l'armoire hier. Nous nous sommes bien amusées et nous débordons d'enthousiasme!**
Sunday, July 31, 2011
10th Anniversary - **Dix ans de mariage**
Cam & I just celebrated our 10th Anniversary! We went to Ruth's Chris Steak House in Salt Lake. We've been there several times. They pamper you when you're celebrating a special occasion :) They have excellent steaks. And their chocolate custard is amazing!
Now allow me to utter a few mushy words on this husband of mine. I consider him a gift from God to me. He makes me feel understood and cherished. It's a joy to give him my best because he is so appreciative. He's funny and smart. He has a pure, generous heart and will never try to lift himself above another person. He'll actually do the opposite to make people feel good. He's an outstanding trampoline-jumping, video-gaming, fort-building, paper-folding father. He made me an even happier woman recently by embracing health. He changed his eating habits, discovered exercise, lost 60 lbs! It was extremely hard for him. I'm so very proud of him! I love being part of his team, at home and also at work. I could write a lot more but I know this much public praise is already making him uncomfortable ;) I'll just finish by saying I am looking forward to an eternity of living and learning by his side.
**Cameron & moi venons de célébrer notre 10ième anniversaire de mariage ! J’aimerais dire quelques mots à propos de mon mari. Il est un cadeau des cieux. Avec lui, je me sens comprise et chérie. C’est une joie de le servir car il exprime toujours sa reconnaissance avec sincérité. Il est rempli d’humour et d’intelligence. Il a un cœur pur et généreux et n’essaie jamais de se faire paraître supérieur à quelqu’un d’autre. En fait, il fait le contraire pour mettre les gens à l’aise. C’est un super Papa qui passe beaucoup de temps avec nos enfants à sauter sur le trampoline, jouer aux jeux vidéos, construire des forts et plier des papiers. Il m’a rendu encore plus heureuse récemment en consacrant son temps à sa santé. Il a changé ses habitudes alimentaires, incorporé un programme rigoureux de sport et perdu près de 30kg ! C’était extrêmement difficile pour lui et je suis d’autant plus fière de lui. J’adore faire partie de son équipe au foyer, comme au travail. Je pourrai écrire des pages mais je sais que ces quelques mots en public le mettent déjà mal l’aise. Je finirai juste par dire que je suis remplie d’enthousiasme à l’idée de passer l’éternité à vivre et apprendre à ses côtés. **
Pioneers Day
We celebrated Pioneers Day with our friends the Browns and...the Browns, we call the second set the Jimdys to avoid confusion :) The kids always love playing together. "Can we do fireworks now?" is what we hear over and over until the eagerly awaited nightfall arrives.
**Nous avons célébrer la fête de l'état d'Utah "La fête des pionniers" avec des amis. Les enfant adorent jouer entre eux et attendent toujours impatiemment la nuit tombée pour pouvoir enfin faire des feux d'artifice!**
Also check out Cam's Blog for a great post and cool trampoline action shots.
**Nous avons célébrer la fête de l'état d'Utah "La fête des pionniers" avec des amis. Les enfant adorent jouer entre eux et attendent toujours impatiemment la nuit tombée pour pouvoir enfin faire des feux d'artifice!**
Also check out Cam's Blog for a great post and cool trampoline action shots.
A Day at the Beach - **Journée à la plage**
We do have sand beaches in Utah! The Cemetary Point Beach at Pineview Reservoir is my favorite.
**On a des plages de sable blanc en Utah!**
**On a des plages de sable blanc en Utah!**
Herman's Hermits Concert with Grandpa
Grandpa took us to see Herman's Hermits, a band from the 60s, in concert. Cam grew up listening to their songs because his Dad was a big fan. I was initiated a while ago as well. Next, Grandpa worked on the kids who immediately caught on to several songs, especially the "Henry the 8th". They actually think Peter Noone's name is "Henry". We had a great time with Grandpa!
**Nous avons accompagné Grandpa à un concert de Herman's Hermits, un groupe musical des années 60. Cam a grandi en écoutant leur musique car son père l'aimait beaucoup. Hal m'a initiée moi aussi il y a quelques années. C'était donc le tour des enfants qui s'y sont donnés à coeur joie :)**
**Nous avons accompagné Grandpa à un concert de Herman's Hermits, un groupe musical des années 60. Cam a grandi en écoutant leur musique car son père l'aimait beaucoup. Hal m'a initiée moi aussi il y a quelques années. C'était donc le tour des enfants qui s'y sont donnés à coeur joie :)**
Dinner at "In & Out Burger" **Hamburgers pour le diner**
We all ride in the minivan. **On y a va tous dans le minivan**
Grandpa got us nice seats, the best in my opinion! **Grandpa nous a pris de très bon sièges. **
Herman's Hermits
Peter Noone still knows how to entertain his audience. Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Shopping List App
I recently switched from a paper to an electronic shopping list using the "Shopping List" app by Hensoft. I did upgrade to the paying version so I could have more than one list (one for each store) and so I could customize my categories. You can even change the order of the categories so they appear on your list in the same order as the aisles in the store. No more ugly paper on my fridge, no more ineligible handwriting and best of all, no forgetting my list at home!! Great thanks to my sister for giving me the idea!
Wonderful Veggie Savers
I often have half a lemon or part of an onion left over after cooking. I used to wrap them up and toss them in the vegetable drawer where I would often forget about them. When I saw the lemon saver at Wal-Mart, I decided it was a much better way to store left over lemon. It's very visible and it's BPA-free (plastic wraps aren't always). It also seems to be keeping things fresher than wraps. I am loving it. I saw the onion saver at Macey's. It actually keeps the onion odor from leaking in the fridge! They also make a tomato saver that I'm planning on getting.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Moroccan Chicken Kabobs
Wow, flavorful! Recipe from Familyfun.com -
I served the kabobs with whole wheat couscous and zucchinis (cook medium size chunks in covered saucepan in 1/4" of water with salt, garlic, onion powder and olive oil until tender ).
Ingredients
1 small onion, quartered
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons ground coriander
2 tablespoons cumin
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
1 tablespoon paprika
4 cloves garlic, minced
2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch-wide strips
Fresh Italian parsley, chopped
X
Instructions
Put all the ingredients except the chicken and parsley in the work bowl of a food processor or blender; process until smooth. Thread the chicken onto bamboo skewers (presoaked in water) and place in a large, shallow glass or pottery casserole dish. Spread the pureed marinade over the chicken, turning the chicken to coat it well. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Start your grill, and when it's hot, lightly season the chicken with a bit of additional salt and grill until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes, turning frequently. Transfer to a platter. Sprinkle with parsley and serve right away. Makes 4 to 6 servings
I served the kabobs with whole wheat couscous and zucchinis (cook medium size chunks in covered saucepan in 1/4" of water with salt, garlic, onion powder and olive oil until tender ).
Ingredients
1 small onion, quartered
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons ground coriander
2 tablespoons cumin
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
1 tablespoon paprika
4 cloves garlic, minced
2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch-wide strips
Fresh Italian parsley, chopped
X
Instructions
Put all the ingredients except the chicken and parsley in the work bowl of a food processor or blender; process until smooth. Thread the chicken onto bamboo skewers (presoaked in water) and place in a large, shallow glass or pottery casserole dish. Spread the pureed marinade over the chicken, turning the chicken to coat it well. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Start your grill, and when it's hot, lightly season the chicken with a bit of additional salt and grill until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes, turning frequently. Transfer to a platter. Sprinkle with parsley and serve right away. Makes 4 to 6 servings
Family Fun.com Recipes
I got bored with most of my usual recipes so I went hunting for new ideas on Familyfun.com. They have quite the repertoire of fresh & fun summer recipes. I'll be posting my favorites.
Grilled Chicken Tostadas
Oohh, so good! Recipe from Familyfun.com
Ingredients
MARINADE:
1/2 cup fresh lime juice (about 3 to 4 limes)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil (plus more for brushing the tortillas)
1 tablespoon honey - (I left it out)
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
TOSTADAS
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 4 ounces each)
8 small corn tortillas (5 to 6 inches in diameter) I think tortilla chips would work well also.
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack, or more if desired
1 1/2 cups shredded lettuce
OPTIONAL TOPPINGS: salsa, guacamole, sour cream, cilantro, green onions
X
Instructions
Place the chicken thighs in a gallon-size zip-lock bag and add all the marinade ingredients. Press the air out of the bag and seal it. Turn the bag to thoroughly coat the chicken, place it in a bowl, and refrigerate it for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight), turning the bag occasionally. Remove the meat from the refrigerator 20 minutes before you want to start grilling.
Prepare a charcoal fire or set a gas grill to medium-high, close the lid, and heat until hot -- about 10 to 15 minutes.
Remove the thighs from the bag and discard the marinade. Grill the chicken until it's no longer pink inside, about 4 to 5 minutes per side on a gas grill. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for about 5 minutes before cutting it into 1/2-inch strips.
Lightly brush both sides of the tortillas with vegetable oil. Grill them on each side until they turn slightly brown, about 1 minute on a gas grill. Before removing the tortillas from the grill, sprinkle each one with 1 tablespoon of cheese.
To serve, layer the tortillas with shredded lettuce, the chicken strips, the remaining cheese, and any additional toppings. Serves 6 to 8.
Ingredients
MARINADE:
1/2 cup fresh lime juice (about 3 to 4 limes)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil (plus more for brushing the tortillas)
1 tablespoon honey - (I left it out)
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
TOSTADAS
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 4 ounces each)
8 small corn tortillas (5 to 6 inches in diameter) I think tortilla chips would work well also.
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack, or more if desired
1 1/2 cups shredded lettuce
OPTIONAL TOPPINGS: salsa, guacamole, sour cream, cilantro, green onions
X
Instructions
Place the chicken thighs in a gallon-size zip-lock bag and add all the marinade ingredients. Press the air out of the bag and seal it. Turn the bag to thoroughly coat the chicken, place it in a bowl, and refrigerate it for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight), turning the bag occasionally. Remove the meat from the refrigerator 20 minutes before you want to start grilling.
Prepare a charcoal fire or set a gas grill to medium-high, close the lid, and heat until hot -- about 10 to 15 minutes.
Remove the thighs from the bag and discard the marinade. Grill the chicken until it's no longer pink inside, about 4 to 5 minutes per side on a gas grill. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for about 5 minutes before cutting it into 1/2-inch strips.
Lightly brush both sides of the tortillas with vegetable oil. Grill them on each side until they turn slightly brown, about 1 minute on a gas grill. Before removing the tortillas from the grill, sprinkle each one with 1 tablespoon of cheese.
To serve, layer the tortillas with shredded lettuce, the chicken strips, the remaining cheese, and any additional toppings. Serves 6 to 8.
Lagoon - Bounceback!
Click on slideshow to view legend.
**Cliquer sur le diaporama pour voir les légendes**
**Cliquer sur le diaporama pour voir les légendes**
Patriotic Celebrations
Click on slideshow to view legend.
**Cliquer sur le diaporama pour voir les légendes**
**Cliquer sur le diaporama pour voir les légendes**
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Lagoon
My sister & I went to Lagoon with the kids. We had a wonderful time. I didn't go on most of the rides due to my present state but I thoroughly enjoyed the ambiance and the kids excitment.
**Je suis allée à Lagoon avec Cathy. Je ne suis pas allée sur la plupart des manèges vue mon état mais j'ai bien profité de l'ambiance et de l'enthousiasme des enfants**
**Je suis allée à Lagoon avec Cathy. Je ne suis pas allée sur la plupart des manèges vue mon état mais j'ai bien profité de l'ambiance et de l'enthousiasme des enfants**
Lehi Parade
We got back from camping, switched cars and, still all smoky smelling from camping, rushed to catch the Lehi Parade !
**On est rentrés à la maison, on a changé de voiture et, encore embaumés de l'odeur du feu de camp, on s'est dépéché vers la parade de Lehi! **
**On est rentrés à la maison, on a changé de voiture et, encore embaumés de l'odeur du feu de camp, on s'est dépéché vers la parade de Lehi! **
Diamond Fork Camping
The web album (Picasa) I'm using for the slide show has some kind of glitch with the captions so II disabled them for now. Double-click on the slide show to go into Picasa and view the captions. Sorry about the inconvenience, I'm working on it.
Double cliquez sur les photos pour accéder à la légende.
Double cliquez sur les photos pour accéder à la légende.
Sesame, our rat
We got our family's first pet a few months ago, Sesame,a rat. We all love her. She's fun like a dog but a lot easier to take care of. And she eats by holding things in her cute little pink hands. The plague and sewer stories gave rats a bad name but rats are actually very clean animals. Here is an adorable video of Sesame grooming herself. **Nous avons adopté notre premier animal domestique il y a quelques mois, un rat! Sesame. On l'adore. C'est comme avoir un chien sans tout le travail. En plus, elle mange en tenant les choses entre ses petites mains roses. Les rats, contrairement à ce qu'on a tendance à penser, sont très propres. Voici une adorable vidéo de Sesame entrain de faire sa toilette.**
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Gabriel is 4 - Gabriel a 4 ans!
It's already been 4 years since Gabriel came to join our family! We feel so blessed to have him. He's such a perceptive and sensitive little boy. I love the way he expresses his feelings, happy or frustrated, and the way he tells me what he would like me to do about it. He's also very meticulous, he'll spend hours outfitting his Playmobil men & vehicules with their gear. He's disappointed he's not getting a little brother but I have no doubt he'll be a loving and protective big brother for his little sister.
**Ça fait déjà 4 ans que Gabriel est venu se joindre à notre famille! Nous sommes tellement reconnaissants de l'avoir parmi nous. C'est un petit garçon sensible et rempli de sagacité. J'aime comme il exprime ses sentiments, heureux ou frustrés, et la façon dont il m'explique ce qu'il aimerait que je fasse. Il est aussi très méticuleux. Il passe des heures à équiper ses bonhommes et véhicules de Playmobile. Il est déçu que le bébé ne soit pas un petit frère mais je n'ai aucun doute qu'il sera un grand-frère aimant et protecteur pour sa petite soeur. **
**Ça fait déjà 4 ans que Gabriel est venu se joindre à notre famille! Nous sommes tellement reconnaissants de l'avoir parmi nous. C'est un petit garçon sensible et rempli de sagacité. J'aime comme il exprime ses sentiments, heureux ou frustrés, et la façon dont il m'explique ce qu'il aimerait que je fasse. Il est aussi très méticuleux. Il passe des heures à équiper ses bonhommes et véhicules de Playmobile. Il est déçu que le bébé ne soit pas un petit frère mais je n'ai aucun doute qu'il sera un grand-frère aimant et protecteur pour sa petite soeur. **
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Trip to France - **Voyage en France**
I took the kids to Saint-Raphael, near Nice, France the first week of May. We met up with my parents there.. We had a wonderful time.
**Les enfants et moi avons passé la première semaine de Mai à Saint-Raphael, à côté de Nice. Mes parents nous ont retrouvé là-bas. C'était un séjour formidable.**
**Les enfants et moi avons passé la première semaine de Mai à Saint-Raphael, à côté de Nice. Mes parents nous ont retrouvé là-bas. C'était un séjour formidable.**
Our Little Performer - **Notre petite star**
These performances are from last year but I finally got around to posting this condensed version. You'll see Claire playing the piano & singing. Then her school Christmas program. Finally, her Christmas dance recital. It's too cute :)
**Ces spectacles datent de l'année dernière mais je mets enfin ce montage sur le blog! Vous y verrez Claire qui s'accompagne au piano en chantant, et puis son programme de Noel à l'ècole et enfin son spectacle de danse. C'est mignon :) **
**Ces spectacles datent de l'année dernière mais je mets enfin ce montage sur le blog! Vous y verrez Claire qui s'accompagne au piano en chantant, et puis son programme de Noel à l'ècole et enfin son spectacle de danse. C'est mignon :) **
Still alive! **Toujours en vie**
Hello! Sorry about the big break from blogging. Well as you may know, I am expecting a little girl for the end of September. My first trimester, I needed a lot of sleep, felt lethargic most of the time and nauseous too. When my energy and complete well-being came back 9 weeks ago, I had a lot to catch up on around the house. Then I tackled my record keeping projects. I gave priority to my digital photo books and I also felt like working on editing our family videos. My thoughtful husband got me a new laptop and it's so wonderful for working with videos, I couldn't stop! School is over and my schedule is a lot lighter. I'm now back to regular blogging I think... I hope! Stay tuned ;)
**Coucou! Désolée pour la longue pause sur mon blog! Comme vous le savez peut-être, j'attends un bébé fin-Septembre. Mon premier trimestre, j'avais besoin de beaucoup de sommeil, j'étais souvent fatiguée et avec des nausées aussi. Quand mon énergie et mon bien-être complet sont revenus il y a 9 semaines, j'avais beaucoup de retard à rattraper dans la maison. Et puis je me suis remise à mes albums photos digitaux et j'ai voulu travailer sur des montages de nos vidéos de famille. Voilà, maintenant je compte bien me remettre à blogger... j'espère dumoins ;) Restez à l'écoute!**
**Coucou! Désolée pour la longue pause sur mon blog! Comme vous le savez peut-être, j'attends un bébé fin-Septembre. Mon premier trimestre, j'avais besoin de beaucoup de sommeil, j'étais souvent fatiguée et avec des nausées aussi. Quand mon énergie et mon bien-être complet sont revenus il y a 9 semaines, j'avais beaucoup de retard à rattraper dans la maison. Et puis je me suis remise à mes albums photos digitaux et j'ai voulu travailer sur des montages de nos vidéos de famille. Voilà, maintenant je compte bien me remettre à blogger... j'espère dumoins ;) Restez à l'écoute!**
Sunday, January 23, 2011
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