Weekly Recipe

Rachael's Chicken Pesto and Pasta

16 oz. cooked Penne Pasta
5 split chicken breasts
4 TBS. Olive Oil
2 cloves minced garlic cloves
1/2 C. sun dried tomatoes
1 packet Pesto Seasoning
2 TBS basil
1 1/2 C. chicken broth
1 TBS. corn starch
1/4 cup Sunflower seeds
8 oz. crumbled feta cheese
parmesan cheese

Cook 5 split chicken breasts in olive oil and garlic

While chicken is cooking soak 1/4 C. dried tomatoes in 1 cup chicken broth
Make pesto according to packet directions

When chicken is cooked through, cut it into long thin strips (julienne style) and place back into pan. Add remaining dried tomatoes (chopped), 1 1/4 C. of the chicken broth mixture, Basil and sunflower seeds.

Mix the cornstarch into the reserved 1/4 cup chicken broth mixture and mix well. Bring chicken mixture to a boil and add the cornstarch mixture slowly. Bring back to a boil until thickened.

Take off the burner and add crumbled feta cheese and mix. Pour chicken mixture over Penne Pasta. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve.

You will love this one! It is our favorite!

I Slept In!

Hi, just letting you know that today I slept in! Why is that an announcement?? Well, because usually when 2 is up from 1:30 am to 4:30 am and doesn't finally fall completely asleep until 5:15 am (15 minutes before my hubby's alarm goes off for work) it is the night before I have to work, or we have OT or Speech Appointments for 2, or there is a doctor appointment, or some other great need. But, this time... I had nothing going on so I slept until 11:21 am (take a way a little time when I got kids to school between 7:45 - 9:00--well, OK, so I was still tired/out-of-it because, poor 8 missed his bus and was very upset, so grandpa took him.) And granted, I am not sure how long 2 was awake I could hear her in my room but I was too tired to respond. I don't think she was upset about being on her own though. She had stripped down to nothing and was helping herself to some cottage cheese. I guess that saved me the time of cleaning her clothes of it!!! Ha! Ha! Isn't it funny how all 2 year olds have to be that way at some point or another? No clothes, no diaper, running free!! Wee!

School Choir Concert

So 12 has been getting up early every Tuesday and Thursday morning to go to choir practice before school. He did this all on his own without me having to encourage or remind. Here he is in their big concert with his outfit on---aw fer cute!!!!

In the video, 12 is the one grinning uncontrollably (top and almost middle). I guess he was so happy we were there??!!??

Big Pants AND Shoes to Fill

So here is 2 with Dad's pants on. And really if you have spent any time here for more than a few hours you will have learned that she does "wear the pants" in the family.


I guess she also wants to fill his shoes!!

Jackie Chan

If any of you out there are Jackie Chan or Jet Li fans you need to go see The Forbidden Kingdom! It was awesome. I will give you fair warning--it has a Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon feel to it (which I love) but that good ol' Jackie Chan fun. We went and saw it this afternoon and loved it!

If you see it let me know what you thought.

Checking in

Who got me hooked on this blogging thing anyway? It is like my journal--or maybe I just feel better that I am at least doing this since I don't write in my journal or scrapbook at all anymore. I don't have time, that is just too funny, because for some reason I have time to blog! I guess it is all in the priorities.

Oh, and here is something I learned this week the hard way:

Do not take 3 of your 4 kids to your Physical Therapy appointment with you and think that it will go smoothly. Don't try to convince yourself that your kids would never do "that" or "that." Because they will. My kids used the exercise equipment as monkey bars, the exercise balls as toys being rolled throughout the open space, peeking behind curtains at other patients, eating all the candy in the candy bowl, hiding behind the physical therapist's bum (no, really, I am not exaggerating here--my daughter was trying to get away from 12, so while the PT was working on my knee she would hide behind his bum--just the right height I guess!), and then to top it all off she then screamed and flailed because she didn't want to leave all the fun behind.

Sorry to all the patients that were there! Wew! Next time I will get a sitter.

OK, so I was going to get a sitter but, there were no options available. Out of desperation I took them, next time I will remember this time and just cancel until I can get a babysitter :)

Spring Break Horse Riding

We had to do something for spring break so why not ride the horses!

Sunday at Mom's House

So here are a few pics of our day at my mom's house on a Sunday. She made pizza for all of us including my friends we invited. It was a full house and she worked hard. But, boy, can my mom make pizza! Woooo! That was good stuff.

Here she is showing off the plate that had the cheese on it. You just have to know my mom--she loves to pose--you know there has to be a real reason for the picture. And after every meal she has to price it. No, really, she prices it! She'll say stuff like, "Boy, that was a $15 meal!" Which I find so cute because a $15 meal really isn't all that impressive but that is my mom for ya! Innocent and funny rolled into one.

Any of my childhood friends reading this will remember her french fries, chili, scones, homemade ice cream. She loved to treat my friends--funny thing is--I am 31 and I can still bring my friends over to be treated to something home made! Thanks Mom!

Easter Party??

OK, I know Easter was, what three weeks ago!!! But, yes we did, indeed, have our annual B-family Easter Party. I mean, what the heck, right? The Easter candy is certainly on clearance by now--although those darn orange foam peanuts better not be on anyone's candy list!

Well, first of all hats off to my uncle for having it as his place! What a blast! We socialized, ate, rode horses, jumped in the big inflatable jump-house-thing-a-ma-jig, jumped on the trampoline, played basketball, played horse shoes, roasted hot dogs and made smores, hunted for candy filled bags and sang around the campfire. It was an all day affair!

Frankly, I don't know what I was thinking... OK, actually, I do. I wanted the kids to be able to have fun. Marc wasn't able to be there so I took the kids on my own with my mom's help. So I spent most of my time running after 2, who has a never-ending supply of tip-top energy. I mean, she can go, and with me still working on the walking thing after surgery, her running and me limp-running was not a good match. I really actually wish someone would have video taped me "running" after her as often as I did--I'm sure it was quite the sight. So, thank goodness my mom was there to help--that is why you see her mostly with 2 each time! But, 8 I was really proud of. Fragile X brings on many social anxieties and feelings of inadequacy--which really, I think goes along with any disabled child. Anyway, he really got in there and mingled with his cousins. (Side note: My mom's side of the family is so big that I have well over 100 cousins so they range in age from 5 to 35--so really they are my cousins but since they are so close to his age I say they are his cousins.) It was good to see 8 be part of the crowd.

Here are some pictures of all the fun! I am going to give you generals of what you will see in the pictures: Grandma Judy and 2 (litte buddies that day), 8 with his cousins after the easter candy sack hunt, fun in the inflatable bounce house, 12 leading 8 on one of the horses there to ride, family around the campfire singing, mom and my uncle singing and playing guitar around the campfire, my brother and his soon to be fiancé, my uncle trying to get into the pictures I was taking, my uncle and his daughter who has spina bifita.

A Nothing Day

So today was a day where I had nothing planned. Oh, how nice it was to not have to run anywhere and stay in my pajamas with no makeup or hairdo until 4:00 today!!! Yes, I am serious. 2 and I were totally bums today. I did laundry, cleaned house, organized papers, paid bills, did design work, talked to a friend I haven't been in touch with for a while. It was such a nice day to just be home. I don't get days like that very often so it was a good break for me.

Later this evening though my hubby and I went to the store. We had to buy a new Portable DVD player because 2 poured water in our other one. Yes, it was a frivolous purchase but, if any of you know 2 and 8 you know why we need to have one--I take it with me to the doctors office, peoples houses, camping--they need their down time. Their chance to zone out from the world. Interesting, I know. But, with Fragile X comes, anxiety, hyper-arousal, reclusiveness and this seems to help out. Don't worry my kids aren't couch potatoes. Actually we don't even have television/satellite/cable--just TV with videos and DVD's. How do we do it you ask? Well, we have done it for 5 1/2 years and really love it. We spend a lot more time together as a family and we don't have to compete TV and homework. It's nice. Although I do go to my in-law's or my friend's house to get my fill of American Idol last night.

Which reminds me, my mom wrote a song for American Idol's Songwriter contest. So I will keep you updated if she gets in the top 20.

Conference High

Man, I just love Conference weekend. It's like you get low and then you here our prophet and apostles speak and you are filled again. How I love President Monson. He has so much love for all of us and has such a great spirit and really has a fun sense of humor. If you didn't get a chance to listen or hear it check out www.lds.org and you can find audio links for conference there.

What a great day!

OUR NEW HORSE!!

Well, after losing Sparks we just couldn't handle seeing Puzzle so lonely and the kids were so anxious to have another horse. As 8 would say, it would be a miracle if daddy decides on another horse.

So, here is our miracle! She is a 7 year old Blue Roan Mare. She still has her winter coat and has yet to slick off a bit but she is still beautiful and very well broke in. As you see in our pictures our little cowgirl even rode her. We are just calling her Blue for now. Hey, how about we have a name contest. You send me your ideas for names and I'll let you know if we choose your name. If we choose it then... well you can have a free drink of water! Ha! She is papered and we are waiting to recieve those to get her registered name but we can change it--so let us know your thoughts--we would like to use "blue" in the name if possible.

So far we have:
Blue Nova
Blue Mystery
Midnight Blue
Salt N Peppa Blue
Miracle Blue
Lucky Blue
Static Blue
(Our kids have a huge list of names but these are just a few.)

Good luck!

Our little cowgirl!

I just have to laugh about 2 because she seems to truly be our cowgirl! My mom got a little kid's saddle for $30 at a yard sale. 2 loves it--she sits on it all the time, we haven't even put it with our tack yet because she always wants to be on it. Here is a picture of her on 12's back with the saddle and the next picture is Daddy letting her go for a "ride" with her new saddle.






This next picture I just had to take because explaining it just wouldn't justify the extent of her fun. She loves to be with the horses even if it means going through the muck. Good thing I got her some cowboy boots but, the white pants were probably not a good idea. Especially when she fell on her rear in the stuff.

3 Weekly Recipes!!!

Thanks to my friend for reminding me to post my granola recipe. Here it is and 2 others!

GRANOLA
preheat oven to 250 degrees

Mix together:
2/3 C. honey
2 Tbs. water
2/3 C. oil
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Then add:
6 C. oats
1/2 C. brown sugar
1/2 C. dry milk

Spread onto a large cookie sheet and cook for 30 minutes
(Add ins: sunflower seeds, craisins, raisins, wheat germ, pecans, walnuts, almonds, dried fruit of any kind)


Strawberry-Spinach Salad

1/4 C. vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cups sugar
1/2 C. canola oil
1/3 C. strawberry jam
2 tsp. poppy seeds (optional)
mix well and let sit while you clean one bunch of spinach leaves and place in bowl with 2 cups strawberries sliced and slivered almonds. Toss salad. Poor dressing and mix with salad and serve immediately.

Rachael's Home made enchilada sauce
salt
chili powder
red pepper flakes
onion powder
garlic powder
paprika
one small can tomato sauce

Mix well.
(Notice I have no measurements, I don't know them. I just do it to taste.)

Biking!

Well, I am off my crutches. I am sure that anyone who has seen me walk around without them would agree that I really should still be using them, on account that I walk around like the hunchback of Notre Dame. Ha!

But it feels great to carry 2 around again when she needs me, pick up my house, do laundry, get my own food. It’s nice. You really take those sort of things for granted--I mean they are so simple.

Also, the doctor said, “no more sports.” That was heart braking. He said I should get into swimming and biking. Swimming doesn’t really appeal to me--since I look like a dog who didn’t learn the paddle. So I believe I am going to get into biking. I have a stationary bike that I use but, I want to get my mountain bike out when I am better and who knows, maybe I will start a club or something and a bunch of us girls can bike!!!!