Snow-Cream!

 We got a fresh new batch of snow today!

And with that snow we decided to make some snow ice-cream!

First, we went outside to collect our fresh clean snow...

(minus the fact that I didn't think about the yucky air).

Then we added the other ingredients, and topped it off with a "few" sprinkles.

My sister-in-law, Jadi, shared this recipe on her blog, HERE.  Thanks Jadi!

Here is the recipe:

1 c. milk

1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. sugar
4-6 cups clean snow, unpacked

Mix all ingredients together and add more snow as needed. (We used used less milk and more snow).
Top with chocolate chips, sprinkles or any other ice cream topping you desire.

After our ice-cream we headed back out to "paint" the snow, using food coloring and water.

Happy Groundhog Day!

Did you hear that Phil didn’t see his shadow?
I LOVE the idea of an early spring!

(Although according to my SIL Olivia, an early Utah spring means no more snow by June ha ha).

I made these goofy looking groundhog sandwiches for the kids.

They weren’t that excited about them (Lindsay's expression is sincere, Matt's is fake).

The kids also helped me make these silly looking groundhog pudding cups.

Here’s hoping for an early spring!

Sick.

The kids and I have been sick this week.  

It has made for a long week.

Darin took a day off of work to take care of the kids and me.

When I woke up from my nap, I came downstairs to find this:

LOVE that man!

Darin, you REALLY are the BEST!!

Lindsay Update

Lindsay went in for a CT on Monday.  I wasn’t at all nervous or worried about the appointment until my dad asked what the plan would be if it wasn’t a good cat scan.  It kind of made my stomach turn.  Not only because there was a possibility that the scan would yield unpleasant results, but also because I realized I hadn’t been praying as earnestly about Lindsay’s condition as I once had..

The week before the scan my prayers were refocused on Lindsay, and I was thankful that they were once again answered.  We were hoping for her cyst to shrink, which it hasn’t, but it hasn’t grown at all either.  When we met with our neurosurgeon following the CT, he said that if she was going to need another surgery/a shunt, they would have known by now and that we could switch our appointments to YEARLY!!  And we’d only need to do it until she turns 5!  WHAT!!?  That means only 3 more appointments!  Yay Lindsay!

I took a couple of really poor quality pictures while we were there.

This first picture makes me sad because with the 10+ CTs she’s had, this was the first time that she’s ever cried.  I was especially sad because this was the first time that I couldn’t stay with her (since I am pregnant).

Luckily for me and Lindsay, my mom was able to come with us.  Thanks mom!!

Happy 32nd Darin

We had a little belated birthday celebration for Darin.
When I asked him what he wanted for dinner he said something Greek or lamb with mint sauce.
So, I did Greek lamb with yogurt mint sauce, Greek olive bread, aspargas, Greek potatoes, and ice-cream cake!  I thought the lamb was especially good.  (I used THIS recipe).

After dinner, we opened some presents!

Then had some cake!

Happy Birthday Darin!  We love you so much!!

Happy 4th Birthday Matthew

On Halloween Matt saw lots of kids dressed up as spider-man, which sparked a new interest for him.  I wasn’t sure if I liked the idea of Matt liking spider-man, and we’ve only let him watch a cartoon from the 70s of spider-man, but I will admit, planning a spider-man party was actually REALLY fun!

We started the party with some lunch, including spider-web pizza, salad, bread sticks  spider-web jell-o, cookies, and spider juice.

After lunch we played "Pin the Spider on the Web"

Next we sprayed our webs (with silly string) to shoot the bad guys.

 

(I am not an artist, but I thought my drawings of the bad guys turned out cute...

even if they did just end up getting covered in silly string).

Next Matt opened some presents.

Our friends just happen to have a spider-man bounce house that they let us borrow.

The kids LOVED it!!

Thank you SOO much Chris!!

I wish I would have taken more pictures of this, but I got some great videos...

the party ended with a surprise visitor....

SPIDER-MAN!!!

(Blake, thanks a TON for the costume and thanks Luke a TON for being spider-man!)  

Matt is still talking about it!

Happy Birthday Matt!  You sure are a fun, happy, good little boy!

St. George

Friday night we headed down to St. George for the weekend.

Darin’s dad was called to be the Stake Patriarch, so we all headed down to be with him.

We got in late Friday night and went right to bed.

(Thanks SOO SOOO much Rich and Rose for letting us stay at your place!)

Saturday morning we headed over pretty early to mom and dad G’s house for birthday pancakes for Matthew!  Then we spent the morning playing with blocks and other toys.

By the afternoon, several other family members had made it over and we had a little BBQ for lunch followed by a little cake and ice-cream.

I think Lindsay got bored waiting for the cake.

Matt’s favorite part was “present time!”

After presents Matt got a fever, cough, runny nose, and was pretty miserable, poor guy.  We left all the kids (minus Matthew) at home with Aunt Vicki (THANKS SO MUCH VICKI!!) and went out to dinner with just the adults, and the sick birthday boy.

Sunday morning we got up early again and headed to Stake Conference.  Both mom and dad spoke and they both did a great job!  After dad got ordained we headed back for some yummy lunch!

The kids all loved being with uncle Darin!

Sunday was Darin’s birthday and mom made him a birthday cake, but we only had 2 candles left after using some from Matt’s bday.  Can't believe he is 32!!

It was fun to be with everyone, but we really missed Janie and the kids, and the rest of Chris’s family.

After lunch we headed home.  We only made is about 3 blocks then Lindsay puked all over herself.  We pulled over, changed her, got her cleaned up, then got going again.  Unfortunately we had to do that three more times on the ride home.  We also had MISERABLE roads, and it took us SIX hours to get home!  I think we’ll be doing a “make-up birthday” for Darin very soon.

Other that the sickness, and the long drive we had a great time!  It was really hard to leave the St. George weather to come home to a new foot of snow, but we were thankful that our neighbors has already shoveled for us so we could pull right in!  We’re so lucky!