Updates

Cami is 6 months today!!! Wow, where did the time go?? She is such a happy baby, and is starting to sleep really well, most of the time! She is rolling all over the place!! I can tell she really wants to start crawling. She has a well baby check up next Tuesday, and so we'll see happens then =)

This is my favorite picture of the 2 of them. Only because it shows how they are with each other. Grant loves sitting next to Cami, and Cami loves being with her older brother. It's the best!

Grant is well on his way!! He loves to go to the bathroom, and will even go number 2 (HAHA, how does one say that on a blog??). However, as soon as he puts on underwear he has accidents. Any advise?? Willing to take any tips!! Because he is ready!!

Quest to be a better cook, Spicy Chicken Shawarma

I really enjoy cooking, though I have never ventured out until I got married.I am not the type of person who tries different things at res truants, I like to play it safe and enjoy what I know is going to be good. So when I am at home, I LOVE to try different things. Mark is a pretty good sport and will try just about anything, I was lucky enough to find a man who isn't a picky eater! I decided I would post good recipes I come across. Hopefully someone will try them and enjoy them, like we do!

I decided to try Spicy Chicken Shawarma... It reminded me of the "Pita Pit". So I went for it.

What you need:
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley (which is easy to grow, if I might say so!!)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground coriander
5 tablespoons plain low-fat Greek-style yogurt, divided (I used sour cream)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
3 garlic cloves, minced and divided
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon tahini (Sesame paste... hard to find, try a health food store like me. Mark & I had to google what it was)
4 (6-inch) pitas, halved
1/2 cup chopped cucumber
1/2 cup chopped plum tomato
1/4 cup prechopped red onion

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl; stir in 1 tablespoon yogurt, 1 tablespoon juice, and 2 garlic cloves. Add chicken; toss to coat. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken mixture to pan; sauté 6 minutes or until browned and done, stirring frequently.

2. While chicken cooks, combine remaining 1/4 cup yogurt, remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice, remaining 1 garlic clove, and tahini, stirring well. Spread 1 1/2 teaspoons tahini mixture inside each pita half; divide chicken evenly among pita halves. Fill each pita half with 1 tablespoon cucumber, 1 tablespoon tomato, and 1 1/2 teaspoons onion.

I got this recipe from the April edition of Cooking Light. I must say, I REALLY liked this recipe. And it only has 10 grams of fat!!! Mark's review: It has good texture, with a nice blend of flavors. Overall good. (LOL, that's Mark for you.)

Funny kid

This past Wednesday a lady from early intervention came out to evaluate Grant's speech. He can talk up a storm, but he refuses to say certain sounds (F, G, S, R). The funniest thing about it is he will say certain words correctly, IF he wants to. The program only goes until the child is 3, and then they transition to preschool. I figured that since Grant will be 3 in a few months (where did the time go??), I will just look into preschools now. This is with the hope that one will have someone there that can work with him on it. But until then, I am working with him, in hopes it will help.

However, Grant (or Ant, as he calls himself), is starting to really put some things together. He really cracks me up. This past week we came home, only to find that Toby, our dog, had chewed up some of my gardening things. I get SO mad at this dog when he chews!! Grant decided to discipline Toby himself. He said, "bad Toby, barn NOW!!", and when Daddy comes home, Grant yells at Toby, "Toby move, dads truck!!". A few weeks ago we bought Grant Toy story, and he probably has watched parts of the movie every day. He can quote the movie!! Along with the movie Up. I am totally amazed, because he quotes it perfectly with the movie. He is such a sweet boy though, and I am glad he is apart of my life!!

OK Alison (Hixson), you asked who Cami looks like... I have been meaning to post pictures of Mark, myself, and Grant when we were her age. The funniest thing is Cami looks like all 3 of us. And Grant has moments when he looks like Mark, but he especially ACTS like Mark. It is cute, and I love them very much!!

Memories

Growing up, I can remember going to different places with my mom. I can remember her taking us (Megan, Tara and me) around the state of Arizona one summer while the boys were at boys camp. Some of my best memories growing up are with my Grandma and Grandpa Summers. I remember going to Quartzite, St. George, Yellowstone, and many other places. With them, I discovered new things, like bazaars and swap meets. I remember going to Tombstone with them when I was around 10. Nothing special was going on when we went, and to me, it was a boring trip, with nothing to see. But it was great to just be with my Grandparents.

This past week, I heard an advertisement for a event going on in Tombstone. I figured that since Mark had to work, I would take the kids. I know Grant LOVES horses and guns, why not? And so, this morning we woke up and headed out the door to Tombstone.

It actually ended up being a lot of fun! Grant got a sheriff's badge, Cami got cute flower bows, and I got sheets (who would have thought??).

Grant had a lot of fun watching the horses and there was even an old train there... So he was in HEAVEN!

While we were there a man came and told us about a petting zoo. I took Grant, and even though he wouldn't pet the animals, he loved looking at them.

I wouldn't advise going to Tombstone on any ole day, but when something is going on, it's actually a lot of fun. Now that I am only working part time, I have more time with my kids. I have to often think, what kind of mom do I want to be? I want to be the mom who creates memories for my kids!! And this was hopefully a good one for Grant!!

I never knew!!

A week or so ago, I was talking to my MIL about a package she sent to Alison. She mentioned it had tortillas in it. My initial thought, she can get those in Utah!

And then I found these... True tortillas from Naco, AZ (AKA Naco, Mexico). Heaven. I knew they were good when Grant kept coming back for more, and he use to only eat a bite of those mission tortillas. So needless to say, I am sold, my in-laws know their stuff!!

What would those tortillas be without some fresh home-made salsa... HMMMM!!! Eat your heart out.

My little happy girl!!

Cami is just an awesome little girl!! She is such a happy and smiley baby. She is almost 6 months old, and boy has time gone by quickly!! Her doctor said she was to chubby and that we needed to cut back on how much we're feeding her, and also to make her go longer between feedings. She was 16 pounds at this visit... I was quite taken back by this, and today I pulled out a journal I'm keeping for Grant. I looked up how much Grant weighed around this time, and I found an entry saying he weighed 21 pounds at 8 months... So I am not worried AT ALL!!

Cami is cute though. She has started having more personality lately. She loves to make this growling noise, which is pretty funny to watch. She is just an easy, loveable baby. I'm so glad she came to our family!!

A whole lot of nothing

I would love to say that we have been having an exciting month, but that would be a lie. We have been working on getting the bathroom ready for the vanity and sink (YAY, after a LONG year, our bathroom will be done!!) We can't seem to get better. Doesn't matter how many times I disinfect our house, something else comes in and wipes us out for a good week or two.

What would be a post, without a picture of Cami?? She is almost 6 months old! Time sure does fly. She is so easy to love, and such a great baby... Don't they both look comfortable sleeping?? NOT!

Mark has been awesome. Every time I say I want to try something, he jumps at it, and gets whatever I need for the project. We have put in a garden. I am really excited, and hope everything comes up. I imagine a very lush and green area, although, I know it could take a few years of trying before it happens. Last week, Mark bought me a plum tree, I AM SO EXCITED TO HAVE FRUIT TREES!!!

This past weekend we went to Casa Grande, to spend time with the fokes. Both Grant and I were sick!! I wanted to die, but was grateful that I had help, so I could at least rest. I have been home with the kids (& myself) this week, trying to get everyone better.

Last Friday I thought to myself, hmmm, today was suppose to be my last day of work. They have asked me to stay on part time temporarily to help clean up a project. I feel this was a blessing, only because it will help us "ease" into only having one income. I know we will receive blessings from this!!

So as you can tell, a whole lot of pretty much nothing.