Thursday, March 18, 2010

Spring is in the Air..... Kinda!

It’s amazing how our perspective on “nice” weather has changed so quickly. Last week when we hit 35 degrees the whole family was out for a stroll. 35 degrees may not sound warm to you, but it’s about 50 degrees warmer then what it has been. This is us shoveling ice, playing in the driveway, and going for a stroll.
Most of this winter there has been atleast two inches of ice on everthing!


Our sidewalk.
We had around 5 feet of snow in our front yard all winter.




On a side note, there has been major flooding in Fargo due to the snow melting so fast. Much of North Fargo is under water and there are other’s still in danger of the flood. Pretty much the whole town has shut down to sand bag and volunteer. The community here is Amazing!! The water is expected to crest on Sunday which means there is still more to come. I ask that you pray for those in need of protection over the next few days.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Get Organized!!!

I have really been challenging my self to get organized. It makes life so much easier with two kids. I thought you other moms would appreciate this. Organization makes me a happy person. I challenge you to do the same!!!

This is the entry way closet. I don't have any before pics but you can trust that it was a mess!!

I have tied cute ribbons on the baskets and added name tags since this pic was taken. Now I don't have to reach for each basket to find the right one. We all have a basket with our gloves, hats, and crap in them.

The dreaded junk drawer.

All clean and happy

My messy hall closet.
I tossed two bags of junk out from this closet.

Much better!!!!


My babies!!!

The Lord had TRULY blessed us with the best kids in the world. Every time I look into their shinning faces, my heart is overwhelmed with joy. Kennedy has taken the role of big sister/protector/ guardian of her little brother. She is constantly letting me know what “butter” needs to make him happy. Her days are spent Laughing, reading, coloring, and enjoying life. Our new church has an amazing Sunday school program that is turning our little baby into a child of God. Kennedy is back to the loving gentle ways that we knew before she was two. Parker is getting so big so fast too. It is crazy how fast the second child grows. Where did my chunky baby go? He is officially a toddler: ( He runs EVERYWHERE just to keep up with Kennedy, which is SO CUTE. He has his own little language that mom, dad, and Sass (Kennedy) can only understand. He can clearly speak about 30 words but only regularly uses about 10. The rest of the time he grunts and points to most things. Right now Parker loves to brush his teeth, play hide and seek, read, and dance.
This is them playing Hide-and-Seek. They always hide in the closet. When we find them they crack up everytime.



Best buddies!!!

Margarita Pizza!!! Yummo!!!

I happen to LOVE margarita pizzas!!! I tried one for the first time last year while on a girl’s trip to Dallas and I am HOOKED. I have yet to find a margarita pizza that taste as good as the one in Dallas, so I thought I would try to make one :) I have never made pizza before but it turned out AMAZING It will be added to our regular list of meals. For those of you who don’t know what a Margarita Pizza is, I will include the recipe. I highly suggest making one. Kennedy and I had fun and it was pretty easy. I will warn you that you need a pizza stone. I have had mine for a couple years and this is my first time using it. My stone is a pampered chef stone (thank you Grandma) but any will work.



This is the recipe: The sauce is really the only part that you have to make. I made mine the night before while the kiddos were sleeping.
Basic Tomato Sauce:
Ingredients:
tablespoon olive oil
1/2 red onion, small dice
4 tablespoons minced garlic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 fresh basil leaves, chopped
3 tablespoons red wine
1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes
Directions for Sauce:
Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes, until onions are soft and translucent. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and add the basil leaves, red wine, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool the sauce before using it to make pizza.

Ingredients:
Pizza dough, homemade or store-bought
All-purpose flour for dusting
3 cup Tomato Sauce,
recipe follows 1/4 cup chopped tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Fresh basil leaves
Fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced into thin rounds
Cornmeal, for stone
Special equipment: Pizza stone
Directions for Pizza:
Place a pizza stone in the oven. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F, allowing the stone to get hot.
Roll out the pizza dough on a floured surface into approximately an 8 to 10-inch round and 1/4-inch thick. Ladle the sauce onto the dough and spread it over top, leaving about a 1-inch border around the edge. Top with the tomatoes, oregano, some basil leaves and mozzarella rounds. Carefully remove the pizza stone from the oven, and dust with the cornmeal. Place the pizza on top of the stone and pop the whole thing in the oven. Bake until crust is golden and the cheese has melted, about 10-15 minutes.
What are some of your favorite recipes?