Chicken on a can

I'm ready for summer grilling...I hope Matt is. Trying this tonight (I hope)!

Grilled Herb Chicken on a Can

Makes: 6 servings

1	tablespoon paprika
2	teaspoons salt
1/2	teaspoon garlic powder
1/2	teaspoon onion powder
1/2	teaspoon pepper
1	whole chicken (4 to 4 1/2 lb)
1	can (12 oz) regular or nonalcoholic beer

1.	If using charcoal grill, place drip pan directly under grilling area, and arrange coals around edge of firebox. Heat coals or gas grill for indirect heat. In small bowl, mix paprika, salt, garlic powder, onion powder and pepper.
2.	Fold wings of chicken across back with tips touching. Sprinkle paprika mixture inside cavity and over outside of chicken; rub with fingers.
3.	Pour 1/2 cup of beer from can. Hold chicken upright, with opening of body cavity down; insert beer can into cavity. Insert barbecue meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of inside thigh muscle and does not touch bone.
4.	Cover and grill chicken upright over drip pan or over unheated side of gas grill over medium heat 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes or until thermometer reads 180°F and juice is no longer pink when center of thigh is cut.
5.	Using tongs, carefully lift chicken and place in 13x9-inch pan, holding large metal spatula under beer can for support. Let stand 15 minutes before carving. Remove beer can; discard.

Bow Head

I never put big bows on Anna Claire when she was a baby and I never really liked them on tiny babies, but tonight for some reason I wanted to see how Caroline looked in one. Once I put it on I thought she pulled it off pretty well.

She wore it to her Grandma and Grandpa's house tonight. Grandma and Grandpa so graciously kept all 3 kids tonight while Matt and I went to dinner and spent some quality time together. We had a great time, and the kids had even more fun I think. Leighton spent the night with them(he loves to stay at their house), we asked him when I got there to pick them up if he wanted to go home with me or stay and he said stay, and then he said "bye momma". Ya think he's okay without us??? He's got a special place there with Grandma and Grandpa and gets better sleep without all the ruckus (is that a real word, my mom always said it).

Leighton (like daddy) thinks it looks pretty silly and when I brought her into the living room with it he laughed! ha! :)

Just some recent pictures

compare

Who looks alike??? I think they all resemble each other. What do you think????Leighton above and below at 3 months
Caroline below--3 months
Anna Claire below--3 months

Leighton at two years old

Here's what Leighton is up to at 2:

1. Talking like crazy. He talks pretty much non stop. We love to hear what will he will say next. Mostly he's talking in complete sentences. This morning he said to Matt, "Dad what in the world are you doing?"
2. He loves to play outside, he asks all day to go out.
3. When outside he is ALWAYS trying to play with the water hose.
4. He still loves his tools and trucks.
5. Sister is still his first choice when it comes to playmates.
6. He still likes for us to hold him all the time, and we love it.
7. He loves his paci and his blankey.
8. Loves his sleep. Takes one nap a day after lunch and then sleeps pretty well at night, finally!!!
9. We finally took away his bottle. :(
10. Loves his crib and we won't be taking him out of it anytime soon.
11. Loves Barney....why do they all love him? Barney drives Matt crazy.
12. He eats okay, not great. It really depends on how tired he is. He eats sausage every morning for breakfast. It's the only meat I can count on him eating. Sometimes chicken nuggets.
13. He's daddy's buddy, he follows Matt around everywhere he goes outside.
14. He loves his class at church. He has the sweetest teacher, the kids call her Juju. When we take sissy to school, which is our church, he always says go to Juju's house? He will got to MDO in the fall and I think he will love it.
14. . Keeps us laughing all the time and we are so lucky to have our little man. We love you Lay Lay.

I haven't taken him to the doctor yet for his 2 year old check-up but I think he weighs about 25lbs.

Preschool Graduation

Friday was Anna Claire's preschool graduation. I can't believe it, it has been such a sweet time in her life. She loves her little school and will miss it.

We are so proud of you sweet girl. We feel very blessed God chose us to be your parents.
I love to hear them sing, it always makes me cry :)
Walking across the stage.
Caroline and Grandma waiting for our graduate.

Leighton had a good time and was a very good boy!
We're all admiring the cute book Mrs. Hendrix made her.
Were your biggest fans Miss Anna Banana. Us girls have to stick together.
Friends, Meredith, Anna Claire and Austin

25 Things

I've seen this on face book and think it's kind of fun.

1. I love staying home with my babes.
2. I love Sonic Diet Coke.
3. I love being pregnant and having babies. I think pregnant women are so cute.
4. I enjoy rainy nights.
5. I like to cook.
6. I love to eat out even more than I like to cook.
7. I talk to my mom on the phone at least twice a day, usually 3 or 4 times a day.
8. I'm late everywhere I go.
9. I want to spend more time with my husband.
10. I think Matt is very funny.
11. I am very hair brained. I lose my cell phone daily.
12.We have had our water shut off twice because I forgot to pay it.
13. I think Matt and I are the two most complete opposite people on the planet.
14. I love hotels.
15. I love love love to shop.
16. I love to do lots of stuff alone. I will go to restaurants alone ( and enjoy it)
17. I like the idea of a bigger house, but don't know how I will clean it.
18. I LOVE to clean. I just don't have much time to do it.
19. I like to be out and about doing things. I AM NOT a home body.
20. I am married to a home body.
21. I wish Anna Claire would take dance.
22. I am not a germ phobic person.
23. If my house became infested with mice or rats I would sell my house. (or at least I would want to)
24. I like the idea of a nap on a Sunday afternoon, but I can't take one.
25. I don't can't take naps and think they are a waste of time. (for my kids I love them)

Our day in photos

A Prayer I needed to hear

I got this prayer in an email and I love it. It reminds me that we are all God's children no matter what our situation is and God commands me to love and serve others, even those outside of my circle. It's easy to be consumed with my life and the 4 other people I live with. I pray I can be humble.

Heavenly Father, Help us remember that the jerk who cut us off in traffic last night is a single mother who worked nine hours that day and is rushing
home to cook dinner, help with homework, do the laundry and spend a few
precious moments with her children.

Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who
can't make change correctly is a worried 19-year-old college student,
balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting his
student loans for next semester.

Remind us, Lord, that the scary looking bum, begging for money in the same
spot every day ("who really ought to get a job") is a slave to addictions
that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares.

Help us to remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slow through the
store aisles and blocking our shopping progress are savoring this moment,
knowing that based on the biopsy report she got back last week, this will be
the last year that they go shopping together.

Heavenly Father, remind us each day That of all the gifts you give us Lord,
the greatest gift is love. It is not enough to share that love with those we
hold dear. Open our hearts not to just those who are close to us, but to all
humanity.
Let us be slow to judge and quick to forgive, show patience, empathy and
love.


ON a lighter note...as I type Anna Claire and Leighton are building a "boat" with lots of things out of her room. I guess she's the captain of the ship. She is sitting on a chair on top of her table, in case you can't tell what she's on. I love the flag in the baby crib. ha!

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

I'm going through all of my recipes if you can't tell. I love having them on the blog, when I need one it's so easy to find.

Matt's sweet parents shared this dish with us when Grandad passed away. The pastor of their church made it, and I love it. I have had it about 4 times since then.

Chicken & Rice Casserole (by Dianne Brown)

1 Roasted Chicken from the deli
1 box Uncle Ben’s Long Grain & Wild Rice (long-cooking-25-min. version)
2 ½ cups chicken broth
1 can cream of celery soup
1 cup mayonnaise
1 can French-style green beans
1 can chopped water chestnuts
Salt & Pepper to taste

Cook rice mix according to package directions using chicken broth instead of water
Remove meat from chicken and pull into 1” pieces
Combine all ingredients in a 9X13 casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Taco Soup

It's not really soup weather, but I love soup, especially easy one's.

Ingredients

1 pound Ground turkey

1 pkg. Ranch dressing mix

1 can Whole kernel corn, drained

1 10.5 oz. Can Mexican stewed tomatoes, with liquid

1 15oz. Can tomato sauce

1 Large onion chopped

1 pkg. Taco seasoning Mix

1 can Black beans, rinsed

1 can Cannelloni beans, rinsed

2 cups Water

Preparation

Brown meat with onions.

Drain and rinse beans; add water, ranch dressing mix and taco seasoning into meat.

Add all other ingredients. Simmer for 45 minutes

Last week of preschool

This is Anna Claire's last week of preschool. Snif snif. I am just beside myself, I cried today because it was her last Monday. Ha. I guess that means I'll cry Wednesday and Friday too. It doesn't seem possible that the time has come for her to go to big school. I sure hope it's easier when Leighton and Caroline reach this point. Maybe it's just because she's the first, surely it's not because I am an attached, over protective, want to be everywhere she is type of mom.

Friday is her graduation and she is super excited about the singing she and her class will be doing. She LOVE's preschool, and I am sure she will love kindergarten too. Even though I am going to miss her SO much (can't really talk about it) I am excited for her and I know she will learn so much and meet lots of new friends.

First day of Pre-K 3

First day of Pre-K4She talks daily about how much she is going to miss Mrs. Hendrix next year.

Hidden Oaks Farm

Anna Claire went to a really fun Birthday party for her friend Ellery's Birthday and had a great time. I love the pictures with the animals. Sweet daddy took her and said it was a great party.

When big sister is away

They watch "baby shows", according to her Sesame Street is a baby show, even though she still likes it! :)
Like to lay in her bed. Anna Claire spent the night with Matt's parents over the weekend and Leighton enjoyed laying in her bed.

Mother's Day

Mother's Day we had a great Sunday. We went to church and then we had mexican food (take out) of course. After that our parents came over and we just hung out and enjoyed the nice weather outside.

Matt and I are so very blessed to have such wonderful mom's who are also not so shabby at being Grandma's/Granny's too. We love them!this picture reminds me of my childhood, my crazy daddy always aggravating/picking at me. Now Anna Claire gets it!

As a mom, I feel honored and blessed (triple blessed this year) to be a mom to my 3 precious gifts from God.
The one who made me a mommy for the 1st time :)

I will never forget the day I became a mommy! 4-1-2004