BBQ Summer Fun

When I was still prego with Cameron, Sam mentioned, in passing, that it would be fun to have a little get together with our friends, the Patterson's and Harris'. I agreed, and the next thing I knew, I was in charge of a party. Well, then Cameron came....and then 3 months passed....and I finally got my act together!

Thanks to Fern for watching the boys and thanks to Mike and Sherri Harris for letting us use their house. Here's the happy couple!


We had great food and great company. My only regret was that people couldn't stay longer. I think the Harris' finally kicked Sam and I out at 10:30pm and I could have stayed longer because I was really getting into Rock Band!

Some fun pics from the night:











Hey, check out this happy couple! This is Mike and Sherri at their senior prom.


We all need to get together again real soon because I'm determined to master the drums on Rock Band!!!

I Got Nuthin'

I got nuthin' to blog about, but it's been 4 days since I updated so I better get creative here....

I've been thinking a lot lately about the looks of my kids. Apparently my kids look a lot like Sam. Honestly, I'm too close to the situation to really see it. I just think Carson looks like Carson, Parker looks like Parker, and Cameron looks like Cameron. Upon meeting Cameron when he was 2 weeks old, my pediatrician shook his head, blew out a low whistle, and exclaimed "well, you brought the right baby home from the hospital, he looks just like his brothers!" I always laugh and say "yep" but inside I'm like "really? why can't I see it??" Even a complete stranger I met at swim lessons last week made the effort to come tell me that my baby looks JUST LIKE HIS DAD (Sam comes to the last 20 minutes of the kids' lessons). I know you all probably think I'm crazy, but I'm being serious here, it's hard for me to notice the similar features.

I was looking for a picture of Sam so I could put him side by side with Cameron and analyze it. I found this gem and had to share (Sam, don't be hatin'):
Sam clearly took this picture while he was driving, he normally doesn't shove his chin towards the back of his head! This picture was taken in April and we were heading to the Rexburg temple for my cousin's wedding. I love this picture because, #1..I didn't know he took this picture! #2..I'm hoping I'm the one who said something so funny that my mom is laughing her guts out! #3..Darren knows Sam took a picture and he is calmly staring at the camera, why didn't he pull a face? I would have! #4..My dad is in the passenger seat...what is he doing with his arm at that angle? I wonder if he's pickin' his nose??


Anyway, we go back for Cameron's 4 month doctor appointment in a few weeks and I'm pretty sure he's going to need a helmet. I've tried my hardest to keep him off his right side, but I don't think it has helped. I took this picture the other night. You can tell that his forehead bulges out on the right side. You can see his left eye and cheek, but not the right side. Also, check out the placement of Sam's index fingers. His fingers are touching the top of each ear so you can tell the right ear is more towards the front of his face than the left. Even though a helmet will be a pain, I'm hoping he just needs a helmet and not bone-structure-surgery when he's older. That was the other possibility...that he was just born this way and surgery will fix it later in life.


No matter what happens, I think he is perfect the way he is! He is such an amazing little guy! He rarely cries and I love his smile and his laugh. He is such a joy and he really adds that 'little something extra special' to our family!


This picture is from today. He was simultaneously sucking on his fingers and his pacifier.


Cutie!


Well, I can't think of anything else to say...shocker. Not to worry though, I'll have lots to blog about after this weekend. Here's a few hints: BBQ with some good friends and 40th Anniversary Celebration for my parents. OH yeah, I know you are excited, but try to get some sleep....

Sam's A Happy Boy

So I wasn't present at this event, but there are fun pictures so I figured I'd slap 'em on the ol' blog!

Sam took Carson and Parker along while he went wakeboarding on Saturday with Aaron and Melissa. They left West Valley at 8:30am and got home at 7:30pm. I think Parker would have gladly stayed longer...Carson was ready to come home at 3:00pm. Course, rubbing sunblock into your eyes has a tendency to make the party stop in a hurry...


I love this picture of Mel just waiting for the boat to hoist her on top of the water.


Here she is diving into the water. Way to capture the moment Sam!




Hey Mel, when you are taking sweet action shots of my hubby, get your dang toe out of the picture! Sheesh, at least you could have put on a fresh coat of polish, don't you think?? ha ha!


Who thinks Parker's life jacket is OLD SCHOOL? Yeah, can I get an "amen" to that??!
I think this jacket belonged to Aaron when Aaron was 3....


Aaron's not 3 anymore....I think he's 23....see, here he is!


Now, I'm not a doctor, (shocker) but I'm pretty sure it's NOT normal for a person's hands to do this after they are wakeboarding....If anybody reading this IS a doctor, please tell me why Mel's fingers do this...and will there be long-term consequences??


If this picture were centered, it wouldn't be as cool. I seriously LOVE this photo. Way to go Sam!


Parker loved the tube. I think this was his first experience with the tube.


Good thing Parker was safely in the boat by this point...


Framer for sure!


Learning to trust the life jacket, tough lesson.




He's thinking "Whew, I am still alive!"


Carson didn't want to get in the water and that's just fine. To each his own!


"But MOM...I'm NOT tired!"


Don't "MOM" me! Get your booty to bed!

Happy 4th Birthday Parker!

Today Parker turned 4. I can't believe it. I have mixed emotions because it's exciting to see how he is changing as he gets older, but I'm really going to miss my little 3-year old Parker. 3 year old boys are a barrel of laughs!

Here is Parker yesterday when he was 3


And here is Parker today as a 4-year old. Can you see a difference?


I'm laughing at myself because yesterday I thought I'd be funny and take a picture and then another today and Parker would look exactly the same...but Parker had lots of accidents yesterday so his face has a nice scab today.

First he was in the play land area of IKEA and some little firecracker of a girl threw a ball and hit Parker square in the eye. He cried.
Then we went to my parents house. They are ripping out their old deck and installing a new one. All that is left right now are the joists. Parker was trying to balance on the joists, he fell and hit his cheekbone on one of them...hence the scab today. He cried.
Last night I was carring a laundry basket full of clothes down the hall. Parker came ripping around the corner and ran SMACK into the corner of the basket, on the same cheekbone. He cried.

Sigh....I'm gonna miss my three year old Parker!

I think he had a great day today. He wore a birthday badge all day and he kept asking me "Am I still 4??"

He loves the movie "Cars" so all the paper goods and birthday banner were of the "Cars" variety. Check out the bracelet on his wrist-more about that later.


We told him he could go anywhere he wanted for dinner. He chose McDonalds because they have a playland. Needless to say, Sam and I gagged down our dinner. See the bracelet?


My parents gave Parker a cute little train set that Parker loves! We had to force him to open his other presents because he just wanted to play with those trains. My mom also made Parker an awesome levi quilt with a Thomas the Train theme. Parker is soundly sleeping with it right now! There's that bracelet again...


This gift right here will eliminate the need for Parker to wear a bracelet! My boys love the show "Ben 10". Ben is the main character and he wears an "omnitrix" which changes him into different aliens so he can fight bad guys. Parker got his bracelet, or "omnitrix" at the dentist last month and he wears it all the time. Kind of embarrassing for a boy! So, this toy looks like the omnitrix from the TV show and Parker LOVES it. We fought him to take it off at bedtime and I think he won...I'm pretty sure he's wearing it right now as he sleeps.



We also got him a little table and chair set so I think he was pretty dang happy about this day. His poor face...that's not ketchup under his lip, it's a scab from him licking that area too much.


Here's his cake that he helped me "decorate". Clearly, I'm not a very excessive decorator!


Happy Birthday Parker! I love you more and more every day!!!

It Was Inevitable

So, after years of blog stalking, the inevitable finally happened....I saw somebody I blog-stalk at Walmart! The funny/scary/embarrassing thing, is that I ALMOST walked up to her and started chatting her up! It was like seeing a friend whom I hadn't (or never) seen in years! I'm not kidding here, I walked right towards her with a big cheesy smile, and then reality struck, and I ducked into the closest aisle! Oh man, I need to get a life!!!!

Phew, thanks for letting me get that off my chest.

Oh, I should probably get something else off my conscience: This morning I was getting Carson's cereal ready and apparently I wasn't totally awake yet because I then proceeded to drop the entire bowl, full of Cap'n Crunch and milk, onto my kitchen floor. I said "DAMNIT" right in front of Carson and Parker. Sadly, it just slipped out, I pretty much never swear. I guess my dad's bad habits are wearing me down! ha ha ha, just kidding dad! Well, it's true....yeah...anywho.....

Okay, let's talk about something else shall we?

I've had a recipe that I've been meaning to try for about 6 months and I've just never made it, until the other day. It's called "Nutty Nougat Caramel Bites" and if you have diabetes, you better give yourself an extra dose of insulin because it's so rich it will make you sweat (does that happen to anybody but me??? My nose literally gets shiney if I eat something too rich!).

I took pictures of each layer for your enjoyment:

Nutty Nougat Caramel Bites

Cookie Base:
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 package (3.4 oz) instant butterscotch pudding mix
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 cup butterscotch chips

Nougat Filling:
1/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow cream
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 coarsley chopped salted peanuts

Caramel Layer:
1 package (14 oz) caramels
1/4 cup whipping cream

Icing:
1 package milk chocolate chips
Butterscotch chips left over from crust
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

For cookie base-In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Beat butter, brown sugar, and sugar in large mixing bowl until creamy. Add pudding mix, eggs, and vanilla; mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in butterscotch morsels. Spread and pat dough evenly into parchment paper lined baking dish (I used a 9X13 pan). Bake at 350 degrees until golden, brown (about 25 minutes). Remove from oven and hold pan about 3 inches above your stovetop and let it drop, this creates a chewier base. Cool completely.


For nougat filling-Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add sugar and evaporated milk; stir. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in marshmallow cream, peanut butter, and vanilla. Add peanuts; stir well. Spread nougat mixture over cookie base.


For caramel filling-Combine caramels and cream in a medium saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until caramels are melted and mixture is smooth. Spread caramel mixture over nougat layer. Refrigerate for 15 minutes, or until set.


For icing-Melt milk chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and peanut butter in a medium bown in the microwave. Stir until smooth. Spread icing over caramel layer. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.


To serve, let stand at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. Cut into 1 inch square pieces. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Yummy!


If I ever make these again....here's what I would do differently.
I'm not a huge butterscotch fan. To lessen the butterscotchy flavor of the crust, I would use white chocolate chips instead of butterscotch chips. My friend Cathy Gilmore suggested something salty instead...such as nuts or pretzel chunks.

I also would only add about 1/8 cup of cream to the caramels when melting them because after these sit out at room temperature for awhile, the caramel starts to lose it's shape and it goobers out.

Now that you are all in sugar shock, go run on the treadmill!