Monday, May 31, 2010

bon appetite~yummy dips


Today I am linking up with Jenn again [sorry it is so late]
for the second addition of Bon Appetite!
This week is dips and spreads!!
I love this dip...it is so good, but not low calorie by any means!
That is why I like it so much :)


{insert really yummy picture of fabulous dip, but i don't have one}


Warm Mexican Dip
8oz cream cheese
8 oz sour cream
2 cans Frito's bean dip
4 oz chopped green chilies
10 dashes of Tabasco
1cup cheddar cheese
1cup Monterrey Jack cheese
pinch of salt



Mix all ingredients with half of the cheese in a 9x13 Pyrex.
Sprinkle rest of cheese on top.
Bake @ 350 for 20 minutes.
Serve with chips.




bon appetite





Sunday, May 30, 2010

a post about my house

 I remember driving around and finding the subdivision that we have now lived in over 4 years.




Layla was a fresh new baby.
We had a home and we liked our home, but it wasn't a place we wanted to raise our kids.
We liked the area we lived in, but it wasn't what we wanted forever.



I'm pretty sure this isn't our forever home either.  
Isn't it human nature to want more?
  I'm sure as our kids get older we will outgrow this home, 
but for now I still love this house as much as I ever have. 




I first drove into the community in December of 2005.  
Layla was napping in the car. 
Sometimes I would drive while she napped.  
I was a new mom...she was around  5 months old.  
Gary was working and I was bored so I drove.  
I drove about 30 miles from where we currently lived and found this area.  

I knew instantly I wanted to move!  I drove back home to research the school districts.  I couldn't wait for the weekend so that I could show Gary our new community.  It just had to happen, and it did!  




 That next Saturday we drove the 30 miles north and Gary loved it to.  We started looking at lots and floor plans.  We were so excited to get to have our very own house built.  It was a dream come true!  I was so thrilled to pick out carpet, fixtures, tile, back splash.  Every last detail was ours to make.

I remember it being stressful and hard.  I remember each step, watching the foundation being poured, the insulation being added.  I remember they ripped our our driveway and re did it.  Ughh!!  So stressful!

the day we closed on our new home! Layla was so little :)


I remember the carpet being laid.  I remember Gary measuring for the 2 inch blinds.  I can remember sitting in the hallway watching him with the tape measurer.  He was in Layla's room.  I remember  hoping that one day one of other bedrooms would have a baby in it too. I was so proud to have so much room!  More room than we needed at the time. We had to buy furniture to fill all the extra space we had.

  
It seems like the decorating and redecorating are never complete.  I am always wanting to change the paint or get new bedding in our bedrooms.  It is wonderful knowing that I can do those things anytime I want.  I love my house and am just as proud of it today as I was 4 years ago when we closed on it and unlocked  the door for the first time with OUR keys!


I took this picture this last year during one of our snow events.



We love you house, you have been good to us!


Saturday, May 29, 2010

a week ago today

we attended the Grapevine Main Street Outdoor Adventure.





We watched BMX riders do amazing stunts.


 We saw several tall people.


And actually got to meet one of them...




We saw eteremly large BBQ pits!




Layla enjoyed her first snow cone of the season, and Hayden had his first snow cone EVER!




We snacked on cotton candy too.




We got some super red cheeks...what a hot day in May!





We sat on the street curb and visited with Aunt Suzie.




Layla rode germ catchers fun rides.





She looks cute in that BUG!



Daddy rode on the slide with Layla. They had fun!



We stopped and posed for some pictures...of course.



We wore brand new sandals and got a blister.


So we put a kiss sticker on it!



And kicked back in HC's stroller for a break!




We had a fun time and will go back to Grapevine for more fun times :)


Friday, May 28, 2010

Six years ago today

our family lost an amazing man.  

I can't believe that it has already been six years.  


I think grieving just gets harder as the years go by.  
I really miss Gary's dad, Gary and I both do.  
He died and we still have unanswered questions about his death.  

I think we will always ask why?  

Layla and Hayden will never know their Pa Paw.  He died before they were born.  Layla asks about him.  But sadly she will never know his silly smile and sweet heart.  

He was a worker.  Night and day he worked his fingers to the bone.

Every Sunday he rested.  
We ALWAYS ate a huge steak lunch.  He grilled them EVERY Sunday.  
We ate steaks with huge baked potatoes and baked beans on top of the potatoes.  
We watched Nascar every Sunday it was on TV.  

To this day I still eat beans on my potato and LOVE me some Nascar.  
I think it is my way to hold onto him. 
He always gave me heck for cheering for Jimmie Johnson.

 We loved to kid around and get into the races. 
We enjoyed the rivalry and competitiveness.  
The passion for wanting our guy to win.  So even though I wasn't a Nascar fan before I met Gary and his family...I am now proud to watch!  

It helps me grieve.



My uncle died when I was a freshman in college, and my grandfather passed away soon after.  They died so long ago and today I still have a hard time with it.  I just want to know them better.  I have so many childhood memories hanging out with my Uncle and Grandfather.  They were father and son, so I usually spent time with the both of them at the same time.  I was too young to really appreciate the time I had with them.  I love to camp and be outdoors...I wish I could have enjoyed those things now with two men that also loved the outdoors.  I get my love of outdoor activities from both of these men!

I was older when I met Gary's dad.  You know, old enough to know that parents were right about so many things.  Old enough to appreciate advice.  I was becoming friends with my parents and Gary's parents.  When I met him the unruly twenty year old was growing up .  I was at 'that' time in my life.  
So it is hard for me.  I grieve for a man that was not only my husbands father, but my friend. He helped me in my twenties when I was growing up.

Today I will grieve and stand beside my handsome husband while we remember his amazing dad.  I can't imagine loosing my dad.
  
Gary is strong and has handled this death in the only way he knows how.  
We all grieve in different ways.  I'm not done yet, my heart hurts more as the years pass.  But holding onto the things that I loved about all three of these men is getting me through.

How do you grieve?  


Thursday, May 27, 2010

our preschool graduate



The shirts they are wearing are adorable!
Each classmate put their hand print on a white t-shirt in a different color.
I think it makes a great keepsake :)



The graduation ceremony last night was so cute!
The kids did great standing in front of us singing and dancing.
Layla told me she was proud of everyone in her class for not getting stage fright.
I didn't even know she knew what stage fright was...teehee!

When we walked into the church one of her teachers greeted me with a package of tissues with a sweet poem attached. I still haven't read the poem in full. I'm afraid it will make me cry.
Gary said the poem is cute and that I should frame it. Maybe one day I'll read it! Silly me :)



Above is a picture of LK on the 1st day of school.

Below of course is the last day of school.
Taken yesterday.

Wow...she looks a bit more sassy to me.


I am surprised the backpack and lunch box made it through the year.

Layla is very proud to say that she is now a kindergartener!!