Weekend Recap...

We were so excited to spend some time in Jackson this weekend! Haley (Kyle's sister) and Chris (her fiance!) had an engagement party on Friday, and we had so much fun celebrating with them! We had to do a little primping first, though...we needed to look GOOD for the party!

Parker had his first "big boy" haircut at the barber shop... before this I had only trimmed his little hairs at home. This was WAY overdue!

Checkin' himself out in the mirror...this child LOVES to look at himself in the mirror. About 90% of the time that he's upset, we can put Parker in front a mirror and he'll immediately stop crying and smile...

Being a good boy!

His Nanna did a great job of entertaining him with her iPhone!

Unfortunately, this is the only picture I got from the engagement party night... apparently the memory stick came out, and the pictures I took didn't save... so I caught myself acting like a dummy.

Parker enjoyed a heart-shaped piece of toast with grape jelly for breakfast!

Kyle woke me up yesterday morning with a box of Dove chocolates and a sweet card, and he gave Parker a sweet little "bouquet" of Valentine suckers!

Parker LOVED the sugar... hyper, hyper, hyper.

We decided to stay home for Valentine's Day dinner, and I'm so glad we did!! We were both SO tired from a weekend full of fun, and I love experimenting with new recipes! When Kyle and I have in-home dates, we usually wait until Parker is in bed... so we ALWAYS plan an appetizer! I found an INCREDIBLE Portabello Stuffed Mushroom recipe... I highly recommend it! It was SO easy to make, and it was in the oven for only 15 minutes! Please try!

I also made French Bread (from Our Best Bites) to go with the pasta I planned to make...we were SO stuffed from the mushroom that we decided to eat bread and oil and call it a night! I PLANNED to at least have a salad with it, but I had no room for more. Don't judge...you know you have those nights, too! I guess we'll have to make up for the unhealthy eating...Salads tonight!!!

YUMMY. The End.

(Oh, if you wondered what our main course was GOING to be...we love The Pioneer Woman's Artichoke and Tomato Spaghetti!)

The Kyle Routh Saga (Really just playing in the snow)

From time to time (and only from time to time) I like to enter into Jessie's world. In the past I have cleaned dishes, changed diapers, and swept the floor...I do not advise any guy to partake in any of these activities. Now it is time to enter into the world of blogging for the first time. Enjoy our February snow.

He has no idea...his mind is about to be blown. Jessie added the camo bandanna, she has a ghetto side many people do not know about.

It's official...his mind has been blown. Look how nice his daddy is to help him through the first few steps.

Favorite activity: "Baaalll." He didn't make any but made sure my attempts to build a snowman were a failure.

We had a great time in the snow.

And so you know, the intro to this blog is not 100% true. Jessie's world is filled with taking care of Parker and me but I enjoy the times when I can step in and help her out.

Kyle

Smoooooooooooothies.

In an attempt to add more fruit (and veggies!) to our lives, Kyle and I decided to whip out our handy Ninja (thanks, Mom!) to create some smoothies. Real Simple's February 2011 issue included 10 different smoothie ideas, and this one is adapted from their raspberry and nut smoothie. I love Real Simple!!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup low-fat plain yogurt

3/4 cup frozen mixed berries

1/2 banana

3/4 cup pineapple

1 Tbsp. peanut butter

1 Tbsp. honey (Mmmmm...)

a couple ice cubes

Add all ingredients to your NINJA! (Or blender..)

Pulse until smooth...

Enjoy!

We loved the taste of this smoothie!! I was so pleased with the natural sweetness...a lot of you know how much a sugar fiend I am, but I think I've changed my ways. Well, I guess just for this smoothie...honey is a PERFECT natural sweetener!

Check out their other smoothies or create your own!

P.S. The Ninja looks silly on T.V....but it is AMAZING! It has two rotating blades that perfectly chops/blends/purees even ICE! I take any excuse to use it!

Growing up...

Time flies when you're having fun...

How did this little guy...

...turn into THIS little guy?! (He loves wearing his "boos.")

I'm going to enjoy my day with this ever-growing, silly, little guy. Have a good one!

Miss my Grampa...

I am so blessed to have known my Great Grandpa Dyer for almost 25 years. Grampa was such a sweet, sweet man, and I'm so happy we got to take Parker to meet him (and Gramma!!). Grampa had four BEAUTIFUL daughters, a bunch of grandchildren, a ton of great- grandchildren, and even great-great-grandchildren!! Isn't that amazing?! And he loved every single one of them.

Sweet, sweet Grampa. A lot of my memories are of Grampa in a cowboy hat...

This was taken either right before or right after they got married. Aren't they cute?! Gramma was telling some of my family how they met...they met when Gramma was 16, and Grampa asked her to marry him. She said, "NO! I'm not getting married until I'm 17!" :) Gramma made him wait until she turned 17 (on Christmas Day) before she would say yes! Her parents didn't approve so they got some of their friends to go to Reno with them, and they eloped! They had to lie about their age, and Gramma said she still feels bad that they lied!

We went to California last May to celebrate my Grams and Gramps' 50th wedding anniversary with a huge party! We had so much fun seeing EVERYONE that is related to or has known Grams and Gramps. It was SO special...

This is most of my family (mom's side)! (Missing Aunt Chris, Kira, and Jade)

Gramma and Grampa celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary right before Grampa passed away. (Grams and Gramps also celebrated 51 years on the same day!)

I LOVED every moment I got to spend with Grampa. He is missed greatly, but we know we will see him again!

"O then what raptured greetings

On Canaan's happy shore;

What knitting severed friendships up (and family!)

Where partings are no more..."

"...Sickness, sorrow, pain and death,

Are felt and feared no more...

I am bound...for the Promised Land!"

I love my nephews!! (And a recipe...)

Look at my cute nephews!! I got to play with them this week, and we had SO much fun! We had EVERY single toy out and on the floor, and I loved it!! Parker was so excited to play with his cousins, and Roxanne and I were excited for some adult interaction! :) Unfortunately, these are the only pictures I took...

Not a great pic, but isn't he so cute?! I LOVE to hear him say, "I love you, CeCe!"

This little guy is the SWEETEST. Look at that face! He looks like his mama...

The boys. A crazy, crazy crew...no lie. They are SO fun together! (I am realizing how often my child is without pants in pictures...)

Now. Onto the recipe...

I have recently realized how amazing Kroger's meat department is... they have awesome deals, and a HUGE selection of meats. I used to just get EVERYTHING at Wal-Mart, but I have found it SO worth it to stop by Kroger on the way home for meat! All of that said... I found a REALLY amazing deal on a package of 2 humongous pork chops and could not pass them up. They were the inspiration for our in-home date night menu this week! (Although, we were so hungry that we couldn't wait until Parker went to bed to eat...so every bite was interrupted by a hyper little boy pushing the limits...)

Grilled Honey Lime Pork Chops

Ingredients:

2-4 pork chops (ours were huge)

1/4 cup lemon juice (I used half lemon juice, half lime juice...and the real thing is ALWAYS better...)

1/4 cup honey

2 Tbsp. lite soy sauce

1 Tbsp. dry sherry

2 cloves garlic, minced (we buy the jar of already minced garlic and use it ALL the time...)

-Whisk all ingredients (except pork chops...) until smooth.

-Place pork chops in a shallow baking dish and pour marinade over pork.

-Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. (We made it 2 hours...I told you we got hungry...)

-Remove pork chops from dish, and heat remaining marinade in a small saucepan over medium heat to a simmer.

-Grill pork (Unless your husband offers to do it for you!) over medium-hot coals for 12-15 minutes, turning once and basting frequently.

Serve with oven steak fries and dijon mustard and sauteed spinach.

If you need a new marinade for your pork chops, please try this one!!! It's SO, so good... let me know what you think!

P.S. Neither one of us could even come close to finishing our pork chops... they were massive...

Hope you have a great weekend!!

Fun with Friends and My Silly Boy!

Just a little glimpse into the past couple weeks...

Pablo/Papa with the boys...

"The Patch"...I LOVE THEM!

Aunt Lisa with the beautiful older sissies...

The gorgeous birthday girl and me!!! Love you Mops! I loved seeing you!

Things got a little weird...

My little guy working hard...

Then he got silly...

This little boy is JUST like his Daddy...goofy, goofy, goofy!

I found my Parker-man sitting on his stool like he was sitting at a desk working on his toy like it was a computer! :) No pants and a cowboy hat...I love this silly guy.