Cooking

I really do like to cook... but most of the time I don't put much effort into it....

Recently I found this sweet website www.allrecipes.com it has opened up a whole new world for me and Phil is grateful ;)

I wanted to share one recipe that I made last week. It was so tasty.

Black Bean Rice Burgers

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Black-Bean-Rice-Burgers/Detail.aspx

I pretty much followed the recipe... changes I made:

-suated the onions

-didn't add much salsa

-left off the sour cream, salsa, and lettuce

-buttered the wheat buns and toasted them in the oven

-garnished with avocado and tomatoes

I served the burgers with broccoli and 'Alexia' sweet potato fries from coscto

http://www.alexiafoods.com/alexia-products/alexia-sweet-potato.jsp?WT.mc_id=ALEXGOOG1021&WT.mc_ev=click&WT.srch=1

please let me know if you try this recipe, how you like it, and how you made it 'your own', or if you have any other winners from allrecipes!!

pictures

1-mixture

2-adding the cheese

3-the yummy avocado on toasted buns ;)

Trying New Foods

I have had soo much fun watching Ella try new foods. So far she hasn't met one she didn't like!!

As she has been introduced to different food I have started letting her have tastes of our food. I won't be making different food for each member of the family so i figure... start them early :)

Yesterday I was making an egg casserole for Phil and myself, it had lots of yummy veggies so I saved some of the veggies out and scrambled it with a yolk for Ella. She LOVED it!! Peppers, onion, spinach and all!!

she also loves black beans

'more please'

Also I have been making smoothies for myself for breakfast and given Ella little tastes... today i decided to make her one of her very own!! It was a big hit!!

Baby smoothie

-half banana

-frozen blueberries

-flax meal

-baby pear juice

-jar of baby applesauce

-baby pro-biotic

-frozen cube of sweet potato

blend and serve :)

I am going to have fun trying lots of different versions and flavors.... and see how healthy I can get!

(I was going to make all my baby food, but then was given tons of jar baby food, so I haven't really made much of my own... but I thought this would be a good way to use the baby food especially once she doesn't want it in such a smooth texture... I'll just add it to smoothies and other things for added nutrition)

5 aMaZiNg YeArS!!!!

It is amazing to think how fast 5 years has gone! It seems we were just getting married and 'playing house'. Highlights of the last five....

Bought 3 houses (Eagle Mountain, Sandy, St. George)....moved 3 times..... signing on a mortgage... no biggie

Cooking has gotten WAY better :)

Paid off all debt except for house!!!!

Three wedding bands for Phil (lost the first one at Lake Mead, bought a second cheap one... replaced with a nicer one on our third anniversary)

Melissa has had more trips to the Insta-Care than Phil

Big job change for Phil, from Youth Pastor to Associate Pastor

Have had 10 vehicles.... currently have 4 in the driveway... one is for sale!!! (any takers?!?!?)

Lots of laughs and water fights in the house

Many hours 'wasted' snuggled on the couch watching our favorite tv shows

5 years of Jeeping!!

Still learning new ways to show our love to each other and never afraid to ask advice from the wise

One BEAUTIFUL baby girl!!

Getting Dirty

I know the dirt on her leg and toes is nothing compared to what's to come, but it is the first time I've let her crawl around on the ground. Her bath water was grey...

I can't believe how fast she is growing up, I love every minute of it... even 'Ella, don't eat the rocks' ... that won't be the last time I say that too!!

CLothEs LiNE

I have been wanting a clothes line to hang Ella's cloth diapers.... I was sooo excited when wandering around Ikea with Dani and Ella that I found this sweet gadget for $4.99!!!

I think I'll have to get another one so I can hang both the liners and the covers.

Oh Ikea how I like you!!!

To all FATHERS of DAUGHTERS

Raising a girl takes two parents:

A mom to show her how to be a woman.

A dad to show her how to be independent.

A dad's job is to make his daughter courageous

Fearless. To make her feel beautiful. To give

Her a sense of adventure. To make her feel

secure and confident.

The relationship between a dad and daughter is very simple:

She will love her father and trust him completely, forever.

Because he's her first love. Her first hero. The first man in her life.

This is the intro to, in my opinion, the BEST book for fathers on parenting their daughters. It is worth every penny. My dad applied many of the principles from this book and I am soo thankful to him for it.

Happy Father's Day to my DAD and HUBBY, I am so proud of both of you!

(ps. there is also a book for dad's to sons, mother's to daughters and mother's to sons...)

Sleep....

I am soo excited that Ella has been sleeping somewhat consistently from about 8:30pm to 7:45am! She wakes up in such a smiley mood and most mornings Phil gets up and brings Ella back to our bed to eat 'breakfast' and cuddle... I just LOVE the mornings when we all cuddle together after a good nights sleep...

I also love the routine we have somewhat established with putting her to bed and praying with her and hugs and kisses... I hope one day it brings back fond memories for her.

Phil is just the cutest dad ever! Most nights after Ella has gone to bed I find him in her room just watching her....most of the time I join him... hmmm.. we're in lovc....

*disclaimer* I know everyone has different opinions on sleep... I'm ok with that...

Broken Record....

We just broke a record... we have officially lived in our St. George house longer than 19 months!

It is the 3rd house we've bought and now the one we've lived in the longest! Yay us!

Each is special in it's own way....

Our First House

My Favorite House

Our Record Breaker

Family

We have both just enjoyed being parents. We love it! I am amazed at how fast the time is flying. Ella is learning new things every day. Phil is so in love with Ella it makes my heart melt... sometimes I have to say I'm a bit jealous... but I'm so happy that he adores her so much.

I have started a park day for some of my girlfriend's and me to have some fun together. We are reading a book together, Shepherding a Child's Heart. Even though Ella is not even 4 months old yet, Phil and I are wanting to soak up as much positive information on how to raise Ella to know what it means to love Jesus, and also for us to learn how to teach her that.

Today when I was cleaning up and doing laundry I was noticing how Ella sat in her cute purple 'bumbo' just watching my every move... sometimes it's overwhelming to think that God has placed us in charge of this innocent little life.

On Mother's Day we dedicated Ella, basically, in front of our church, friends, and family, committed ourselves to raise Ella in a Christian home.

I love that Phil and I, even before Ella was born, have set some goals for our family, something to strive for. We have always watched our friend's and family around us and talked about ways that we want things to be in our house... now I know every child and family is different, but we believe that there are some core things we can do... which brings me back to the book that my friend's and I are reading through together. It is a wonderful guide. I'm sure I'll read it many times over throughout my years of parenting, but it's so nice to have another Biblical perspective, and bounce ideas off friends.

Please keep us in your prays as we strive to raise Ella to be a woman after God's own heart.

Mustache March

I Know it's not March anymore.. but I was looking through some pictures and had to post this one for my hubby whom I LOVE so much.. but have a hard time kissing in March :)

Phil and some friends from church sure had some fun!

New House!

My Brother and his Wife, Jackie are buying a house!! I'm soo excited for them!

Life is Changing...

Life just took a big turn! Our beautiful daughter, Ella Jade, arrived on January 27th, at 11:45pm weighing 9lbs 1 oz. and 21 in. long. It has been so much fun having her in our lives. Phil is an AMAZING dad. I just love watching him with her. Love is in the air...