Random things.........

Wendy introduced me to this great new website where I have found many new recipes that I am just dying to try, last night was our 2nd one with much success. Cafe Rio sweet pork salads with cilantro ranch dressing.....I am already craving it. :)

The dressing is my favorite part, but the sweet pork was very tasty as well.

CILANTRO RANCH

• 1 packet TRADITIONAL Hidden Valley Ranch mix (not BUTTERMILK)



• 1 c. mayonnaise



• 1 c. buttermilk



• 2 tomatillos, remove husk, diced



• 1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro



• 1 clove garlic



• juice of 1 lime

It also calls for a jalapeno pepper which I did not put in because Justin and I are not spicy eaters. You just mix it all in a blender or food processor and that's it, so good!!!

If anyone wants the recipe just let me know and I will post the whole thing. The other recipe we tried was chicken in basil cream sauce and it was very good too. I was in a funk for a while because I felt very boring with my cooking so this is fun to be trying new things that are not even hard but so yummy!

So now that I am cooking all this great food Justin has decided to go back to the gym and work it all off, (the downside to eating great food) and he has been going at 5 am....who does that???? He says it's great because it's not busy...well duh....it's because who wants to work out at the crack of dawn? All that said I am soooo proud of his efforts this last two weeks, he is eating great, packing his own snacks and feels really good so "way to go hon!". We are thinking our next purchase will be a treadmill so we won't have to renew his gym pass and we can both benefit from it. The outdoor recreation sort of stops in this town due to torrential rains and we are not the "who cares if it's raining" type of folk.

Grace is LOVING school and her teacher, she is one of the 5 top readers of her class so that is just great. She is getting to even go into another class room to read with other kids at her level so that was fun this week. We had curriculum night last night and got to see how the year will go, her teacher is pretty focused and strict when it comes to learning and I am all for that, Grace will benefit hugely with her I think. We are so proud of her, she has always been just a little sponge for knowledge and I pray that she keeps it up.

Here a couple new pictures that I took yesterday, Gavin loves his fingers, and Haylee is always one to pose when the camera is out. ;)

Another fun weekend

We have been having the best weekends these last couple of weeks and I think it's because the weather has gotten nice again. The last few weeks of summer were just nasty here and we thought for sure it was over and done with. :( Then the sun came out again and although school has been a bummer because we can't just go and play it has made our weekends great!

First off Gavin had his 4 month check up and he was 14 lbs, 13 oz.....such a chunky monkey this little guy is. He is in the 75% for his height and the 50% for his weight so definately growing. He is SOOOO playful and fun, this is getting to the perfect age that you just want to freeze them at because they're so much fun. I wish everyone could just skip to child #3 because life is all about playing with baby and not much else gets done, with the 1st one you're paranoid about everything, the 2nd one you worry about "can I do this with two?" so you then have even more to worry about....well #3 comes along and that all seems to fade. The tricky part is starting with the third and still having 1 and 2. Maybe that is why all first and second children seem to need therapy, ha ha ha.;) My girls do make life so much easier though because they help me so much, Haylee is my side kick now that Gracie is a big 1st grader. I think we are starting some preschool at home this year, just the three of us. :) I figure I will try it out and see how it goes, we like to be lazy and play so it could be good for both of us. I will take a couple hours about three days a week and have some lessons and then once a week plan a field trip for us. I also thought with Haylee loving to cook and be a little mommy I would do some fun cooking things too, we'll see.


Isn't he cute???

Those cheeks..... and those dimples.


Grace had her back to school spaghetti feed on Friday that we went to with Maddy and her family. Geneva really is a great school and it's nice to have it relatively small and feel like it's a pretty close knit community. Of course all the things I did this weekend were without a camera so I actually have to write for this one. ;)

We did however manage to have a photo shoot while waiting for Justin to get ready and the pictures turned out halfway decent.




Okay the last one not so much. :)

Today we took the girls out for breakfast and to an apple orchard for some fresh apples. yum! They have golf carts that you get to take out around the farm so we did that for a while and sat out analyzing cows for a bit, the girls were facinated that they have four teets. :) Haylee was even going to the bathroom later herself and mentioned to me that she smells like the cows......"thank you for that Haylee".....;>() Anyway, we then took the girls out to this great park in Lynden and came home to have a fire on the deck and roast marshmallows....it was a full, fun, beautiful weekend!!!!

Justin finally finishes his tattoo, Gavin is officially part of the family. ;) I think he is happy with it and of course is already contemplating "what's next?".

Last weekend we made a stop out at Birch Bay to see if the tide was out and it wasn't but the girls still had fun digging for shells and it's a little like therapy for me just to sit and listen to the waves. I can close my eyes and smell that wonderful smell and just pretend that I am on a beach in Mexico. ;) Days like this are ones that I will surely miss if we ever move away from here.

Haylee totally entertained by a feather.
My handsome bald boys.
Grace is such an explorer who loves to just go, go, go...we have to keep a close eye on this one.

For Labor Day this year we headed down to Silverton, OR to meet up with the family for Peyton's baby blessing and Addison's 3rd birthday. We had such a nice time and it did not feel stressful or hurried which was so great. Saturday we had a BBQ at Ben and Wendy's and did Addie's little party, the only downer was the weather was not as warm as we were wanting but what can you do??? They still had a fabulous time playing together and we always leave wishing the cousins could be closer. :( I guess it just means don't waste the time we DO get right?

The girls "meshing" finger frosting.
Jack REALLY wanted to dig into this cake.......he kept getting closer and closer......
Notice the green frosting chin? Is she cute or what????
My beautiful sisters whom I adore and love to pieces....I don't tell you guys enough how much I appreciate you. :)
Who says wind is no fun? ;)

Great Grandpa Hebdon meeting Gavin for the first time. :)
Little Peyton
The girls asked if Wendy wanted to trade babies when it was time to come home. :)
The three amigos.
Birthday girl..."Happy Birthday Addie bug".

The boys of the family.
We were comparing Peyton and Gavin....there is a two month gap between them. ;) Oh, and these are the "not socks" from Aunty Jen, are they a yes or no for boys???
He is such a boy.
Gracie learned some new tricks.
Whitney and Jen looking oh so beautiful....

Mike and Bonnie
The Smith family
Grandpa and Grandma Hebdon with the Ellersick family Grandbabies.
Justin is pulling the senior pictures pose.

So Sunday evening after a big lunch the guys headed off for some "guy time" and we had a little party with the girls...Jackson and Gavin fit right in.....see:
but where is Grace you ask................why in the sink of course. ;)

After baths they all snuggled up to watch Nims Island and have peach milkshakes and popcorn....courtesy of Aunt Wendy.

Monday was time to head off and so we say "by" to Aunt Jen and Jack Jack......

Stopped by Uncle Pauls to say by to them and see their massive puppy Mugz...the girls have not stopped talking about him.
Is this the cutest face on a dog you have ever seen?
Mugz thought Gavin was a big chew toy I'm sure.
So that concludes our trip, pretty uneventful coming home, the girls were beat so they slept almost the whole way as did Gavin. Thanks to everybody for the fun weekend, we miss you already.


That brings us to today....Grace's big first day of 1st grade.

She really likes her teacher, Mrs. Stamey. I also like her really well already so that is good. I did much better this year than last dropping her off, she had an awesome first day and we are so proud of her. :)
Little sister had to get in on one of them, she will be lost this year without her...these two are such great friends. Haylee even found her own "special" first day of taking Grace to school outfit.....sometimes I just have to let her win. :)