WHAT!!!??!! I'm not a size 0-3....

months, that is. That is the hard realization that Ella still has NOT come to. Ella loves to dress up, I mean loves it. So I guess Hadley's clothes are not off limits to her....so she thinks. I have had so many battles with her this week to take off the baby's cloths. She just doesn't understand why she can't wear them, and I just cringe as I her the stitches popping as she finally takes them off! I really hope this isn't foreshadowing of the teenage years of her wanting to wear way to small clothes!!!

New Favorite

A couple weekends ago, we celebrated my grandma's 86th birthday. At the party my aunt and uncle brought this amazing chicken salad. They so graciously gave me the recipe, and it is a new favorite around here. I sent it in the girls lunch yesterday, and two of the teachers wanted the recipe so I thought I would post it...here goes:

Fruited Chicken Salad

Poach bone in chicken breasts or whole chicken very slowly in water seasoned with onions or dried minced onion, bay leaf and chicken bouillon. Do not boil water, it should just simmer. Breast should take approximately 30-40 minutes, do not overcook. The results will be chicken that is tender and almost custardy. Let chicken cool in broth, then bone it and dice it.

1 cup mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
2 T. lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups chicken
2 cups pasta
1 cup grapes (green, red or both)
1 cup mandarin oranges
¼1/4 –- 1/2 ½ cup dried cranberries
¼ 1/4 cup walnuts or pecans (or to taste)

Mix mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, pepper. Mix in remaining ingredients, mix in mandarin oranges last.


I use the Barilla Plus (this pasta has extra fiber and protein, I can't tell a difference taste wise) rotini (spirals). I know it sounds weird with all the fruit and pasta, but it is so good. My aunt said they use it at a lot of showers too. Hope you enjoy!

Cool Cat....literally

Tonight I was fixing dinner, when I heard a horrible meow coming from somewhere. I started looking around and could not see the cat. I checked the garage, checked the bathroom....seemed like it was coming from the laundry room. Once in the laundry room I knew where he was....I opened the door to our extra refrigerator, and out popped Curly. Seriously!!! The refrigerator!! Of course Maylee blamed Ella, and I'm sure I'll never know the real truth. Oh, and he was in there probably ten minutes...don't think too much damage was done.

Christmas Season 2008...warning, picture overload

Here is our photo album for our Christmas this year:

Decorating the tree.



















Decorating the gingerbread house...I don't think they ate dinner, b/c they ate so much of the candy.....notice the after picture of the house, obviously they thoroughly enjoyed it!

Bath time when Daddy is in charge! What a mess!!

Christmas Parties!!!

Maylee at her class Christmas program.

Early Christmas with GG and Bop

Pops telling McCade one of his big stories!

This is the face of sheer joy after playing on what
Santa brought...a trampoline!!!

Having fun on Pops 4-wheeler

Hadley was soaking it all in.

Decorating a birthday cake for Jesus!!!

Of course it would turn into this!

Fun at the park.

Bedtime stories with Nonnie.













New Years Eve with Matt and the girls.

A hard day's work:

Here are a few out-takes from our picture taking for our Christmas cards...well mostly of Hadley. She did so well, and then she was out! Precious baby!

"Baby Brain"

When I was working, I remember being on one particular audit where the client I was working with made a remark pertaining to childbirth, and with the loss of the placenta there is also loss of brain cells. I laughed then, thinking it sounded funny, but completely clueless how true that statement could be.

I must confess I'm officially diagnosed with "Baby Brain". I don't know if it has to do with the lack of sleep, too many things to do and keep up with, but I'm there. Perfect example...last week at gymnastics, one mommy wanted to get my cell phone number (easy right!!???......WRONG). It took me three tries before I got it right!! THREE TRIES! I've had the number for about five years!! Seriously.

After talking to one of my friends who just had her second baby, she told me she forgot the year of her oldest daughter's birth date...and she is only four. So I was in good company. Hopefully these brain cells will be replaced soon, but I'm not holding my breath.

She Bangs, She Bangs...

Ok, part two of our cutting bangs incident....yes, I know it could have been much worse...I've heard many of your stories!! Here are the pictures of them today before Sweet and Sassy:

Here are the afters: (yes, Maylee got a haircut too, to even out the bangs, and I let them cut 3 inches...a small compromise of her wanting it only one inch long!! She paid for both of the cuts with her birthday money, and then wanted to go back again once we got back home. We will see if this was a lasting lesson or not!)

See, you can't even see the bangs when they are combed back, and then they look like little wispies when you do see them.

I just thought this was cute pic of Maylee and Hadley today. May loves holding her!

These are some fun pics from Thanksgiving, and proof why grandparents are so much fun.

I just thought this was funny. I was nursing Hadley, and looked across the room to see this. I don't think Matt knew what to do while being in a room with three nursing mamas!!

Here are some pics with Cousins McCade and Dylan. The girls just love their cousins. I thought the ones of Dylan and Hadley were pretty funny.