Beautiful!

You are Beautiful!

Dad's party lunch!

On Saturday my Mom had a bunch of friends and family meet at a beautiful restaurant on the sand for lunch to celebrate my Dad's 60th birthday. It was so much fun and the kids loved being outdoors! Here are some of the pics!

My handsome hubby and my pretty little sis were totally goofing off and having way too much fun all through lunch!

The rest of these pics are of my sister and her family... I miss them lots and it's so nice to have them in town. I just had a great time taking their pics!

This is sweet LBF.


Enjoying our lovely weather... where did the sunny skies go?


Family pic... pretty darn good considering their were two itty bitty ones involved, huh?


The girls wanted to "hike to the cliff" so Uncle Kev walked them to the "cliff" down the way.


These two were quite a ways away and didn't notice I was taking their picture but when they saw me they smiled and it was actually the best shot.


I'm thinking I have at thing for this cutie pie. He is so darn adorable!

Christmas stuff!

This Christmas we were sick!
Lovely, huh?
On Christmas Eve Mak had the pukes, Michael slept a lot (which kinda worried me although I was thankful because then I got to love on Mak) but of course in the evening Michael vomited all over his crib bedding. Then Chris got horribly sick.
We normally spend Christmas Eve at my in-laws which is so much fun. It makes such great memories but instead they were all lovely enough to pack all the gifts and bring them over to our house for the kids to open. It was so sad though. We laid out a big blanket on the floor (to catch any explosions) and in between gifts the kids would just lay down on it. Michael went to bed early (about 630) and slept really well through the night. I'm so thankful that he seemed to sleep through his ickiness... poor guy. Anyways, on Christmas day Chris still felt horrible but sometime around 330 he decided to tough it out and we drove to my parents, just for a few hours (we normally go up for yummy breakfast and a whole day of activities!)
Anyways, no matter how the holiday went we are blessed to have wonderful families who are understanding and love us lots.
On another note... we told Makena if she felt like she had to throw up to run to the kitchen or the bathroom (where there is tile.) And, so when she felt sick she would run to the bathroom cryingly yell "I'm sick" and vomit in the potty... I'm such a proud Mama (goofy, I know) but I'm so proud of her... she's getting so big.
Well, here are a few pics of Christmas... they're not as great as I'd hope they'd be but ya know they weren't really on the top of my list of stuff to take care of those days! hehe!

So, this is how we spent our Christmas!
Mak crashed out on our bed!

Our house once all the kids gifts arrived with Grandma and Papa.

The craziness at my parents house!

Papa with the girls in their matching pj's right before we headed home... super cute, huh? My mom likes to buy the kids holiday pajamas which is a tradition I love!

My Mom also had a sorta surprise birthday lunch for my Dad (who turns 60 in January) because everyone is in town. We went to a beautiful place on the beach and it was a blast but I'll hold off on those pictures until later!

What Child is This

This season this has been the song that has really touched my heart.
I love carols because it's the one time of the year everyone sings about Christ's birth, death and resurrection.


What Child is this who, laid to rest
On Mary's lap is sleeping?
Whom Angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?

[CHORUS]

This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and Angels sing;
Haste, haste, to bring Him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.


Why lies He in such mean estate,
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christians, fear, for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.

[CHORUS]

Nails, spear shall pierce Him through,
The cross be borne for me, for you.
Hail, hail the Word made flesh,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.

[CHORUS]

So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh,
Come peasant, king to own Him;
The King of kings salvation brings,
Let loving hearts enthrone Him.

[CHORUS]

Raise, raise a song on high,
The virgin sings her lullaby.
Joy, joy for Christ is born,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.

Merry Christmas!
May you all have a wonderfully joyous day!
And not be sick!

I Love Chaos!

Every year at Christmas time we go to dinner and then walk around Naples looking at all the beautiful homes decorated in lights. It's so much fun and it is one of the holiday traditions I look forward to. This year was even more fun because my sister and her family are spending a few weeks here and were able to join us. With four kids under three (well, LBZ just turned 3) dinner at a restaurant can be more then just a little chaotic. But, it made me Happy! It's so nice to have the whole family together, enjoying the noise and watching the kids be so full of craziness.

Anyways, both girls have been begging to see each other and so it was super cute to see them get along so well and have such an awesome time playing together. Here are my girl pics!

Coloring!

"Dancing!"

The hugging was the funniest thing. Whenever the girls had been apart for, I'm not kidding, ten seconds they would run to the other one and just about tackle them giving each other hugs. It was so darn cute!

Grandma Pam was awesome and calmed them down for a few minutes by reading them a book!

Here are some pics of our boys!

The boys!

So for our anniversary Chris bought me a camera. A nice camera. I was thinking I wanted a Canon EOS Digital Rebel but when we looked at them I thought they looked a little big and heavy, they were pricey (I know they're way cheaper then they used to be but still...) and quite honestly I don't really know how to use them so... I opted for the Canon Powershot (it was on sale and has the video option!!) It's a great camera but I'm really struggling on figuring out how to use it to get better shots. I'm pretty darn sure it's the user and not the camera but whenever I try to use the ISO instead of the flash I get blurry shots. This might be because I'm always trying to shoot moving kids, but ya know. And the flash is just so... harsh! I start to get frustrated because I'm catching great shots they're just blurry or the color is off or both! Anyways, I'm looking for some good help so if you all come across a post, information, whatever send it my way!!! Please!

This is my super adorably cute nephew... and then I played with the shot on MM.

Dinner... it was so, so yummy!

Holly and her cute boy ready to walk!

Oh and I'm not sure I posted it but... Elaina update: the doctors said she doesn't have to do Chemo/Radiation because they are pretty darn sure they got all of the tumor so they'll just watch it carefully the next year! Yeah!! Hallelujah! Thanks for the prayers!!

Orange White Chocolate Cranberry "Bread"

Last year I made chocolates.
This year I'm making bread with chocolate in it.
I mean goodness does it get any better then that?
Bread with chocolate in it! Whoohoo!!
Anyways, I made batches of it this morning and the house smelled so good like orange, cranberry, white chocolate marvelousness!
Of course that's pretty much what the cake, I mean bread is called.
Okay, so it's pretty obvious now... it's really cake, I renamed it bread to um, make myself feel better after eating piece after piece?
I mean goodness, look at this thing... and yes, all of mine look just like this (well, except that I divided the batter into two 9" pans, but ya know!)


Here's the recipe!
What You Need!
1-1/2 pkg. (9 squares) White Chocolate, divided or just a 12oz bag of chips!
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs
3 Tbsp. grated orange zest
5 Tbsp. orange juice, divided
2 cups flour
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1-1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

PREHEAT oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour 9-inch tube pan or fluted tube pan. Chop 6 of the chocolate squares (or divide out 2/3ish of the bag of white chocolate chips); set aside. Beat butter and sugars in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, orange zest and 3 Tbsp. of the orange juice; mix well. Add flour and baking powder; beat until well blended. Stir in chopped chocolate and the cranberries.

BAKE 1 hour to 1 hour 10 min. or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 min.; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. If you are baking in smaller pans the bake time will be less so definitely start checking on it at about 1 hour!

PLACE remaining 3 chocolate squares (the rest of the white chocolate chips) and remaining 2 Tbsp. orange juice in small saucepan; cook on low heat until chocolate is completely melted, stirring frequently. Drizzle over cake. Let stand until glaze is firm.

Enjoy!

You all can help me thank my beautiful friend Christina for helping me get addicted to this holiday crack!!
FYI... Pattie also makes an incredible oatmeal chocolate chip bread (it's really a bread) and I promise to try and get that recipe from her for you all... it's just as amazing and really, really good with a hot cup of coffee or tea! Yummy!
Merry Christmas!

updates!

Okay, so the past couple of days have been chaotic to say the least.
We had Lily over to our house for a few days (while Elaina was in surgery and recovery) and then on day two I got a wicked full blown case of kick your butt flu (at least that's what we think it was.) It was brutal and I felt miserable. I ended up having some blood work, an ultrasound (for my sore gallbladder... weird, I know), one of those shots in my bum for nausea and a lovely 1000ml bag of IV fluid to help with my dehydration (and killer headache.) Luckily my wonderful parents came down for the night to help with all three of the kids so Chris could baby me and the little ones could get baths and play time. Anyways, it all helped and I feel lots better, if not quite 100% yet. However, I do feel like a total dork and am hoping and praying that no one else get this craziness! Especially not Lily and her whole family.

Okay, onto updates!

Elaina had a rough day two after her surgery. There were a lot of issues with the pain management (an epidural) and keeping her blood pressure from dropping too low. But, it looks like things are getting better and her biopsy results should be in soon. Please keep praying for her and the family!

Kris had her port placed (no fun), and her first round of chemo and seems to be doing pretty good. Luckily her doctors seem to be very adamant about her not trying to take care of Ken (her husband) while going through this process. Keep praying that she keeps feeling good and taking care of herself.

Here are some pics I took of cutie pie Lily (before I felt sick!)







Hope you all are having a great week and staying healthy!