Christmas 2012!

As always, Christmas was a very full and tiring day, but it was filled with lots of fun and happiness!  If there was any sadness or drama, we don't have any pictures to remember it by so I want to say that there was none. -T

Christmas Morning...

Not a bad start to the day when we got them BOTH to smile at the same time!

I want to say they look better than the scary pictures of me when I was a kid on Christmas morning

Enough with the pictures, let's get this party started!

From peas in her stocking to goldfish

Anna's First Christmas

Playing dress-up

Mae sharing her new doll

Happy Anna

Doesn't EVERYONE just LOVE Veggie Tales?  Josh and the Big Wall!

More zoo animals!

Already starting to line them up - so organized.

I was ALMOST able to take a picture without Anna noticing

Pausing the morning for a quick read

Anna!  You don't have to smile for EVERY picture!

Wanting to open "the big one!"

Buuuut...it freaked Mae out so Anna had to open it by herself (it was for the both of them)

Once it was opened - Mae did like it.  Mae played with her new toys...

...while Anna smiled for pictures.

I said, "Mae played with her new toys..."

"...while Anna smiled for pictures." 

Combining her toys into a great imaginary world

The bed was supposed to be for her new doll, but maybe she was already worn out for the day.

Off to Aunt Beth's...

Eyein' down Big Nate...or where he's going with that gift

Mae's no dummy - she knows who passes out the gifts

Enjoying the atmosphere

Enjoying others' gifts - and getting a little rest

Most people relaxing, Morgan and Mae wrestling, and I honestly can't figure out what Papa D's doing.  

The "no look" smile for the camera - or just having fun with Kylie an Uncle Brian

Mom getting a needed break...and Anna finding the camera JUST in time

Back home for a little more...

Papa D and Grandma Weez had dropped off their gifts beforehand

It goes perfect with their new kitchen

Mae's excitement could not be contained

What a great Christmas!  And we even ended the day getting Anna NOT to smile!

Subject: just left 265 Wheaton Ct.

I was at work when I received the following e-mail from Mom:

1 regular sized & 1 small fire truck, 2 police cars, and I think something else. The carbon monoxide alarm went off in the kitchen so I called & they came but didn't find anything, including by the water heater. They did change the alarm battery before they left. I asked if I did the right thing and they said yes. The police officer may have been the one that gave me my ticket because he looked familiar.

Soft Stool

So, even though "matching" was an issue, we talked ourselves into keeping the bar stools that Lindsey bought a few weeks back. They have a cushion on the top which you can hardly find and they were the cheapest ones out there so the pros outweighed the cons. We just decided to keep them and love them despite the color. -T

I love when assembly is easy...although I do not like runny wood glue

Can't even tell she's pregnant, huh?

(Except that she's using the stool to help her get up off the floor! -L)

One down!

She looks so proper

Now we know they are definitely sturdy

Perfect fit

When did we get a white stool?

Fini!

Table For Two Please!

I saw a picture a few months ago that a friend posted on Facebook of a meal she attempted and made successfully. It was Cajun Chicken Fettucini Alfredo...one of my favorite meals(I used to get the Blackened Cajun Chicken Sandwich at Friday's until they stopped making it, the Cajun Pasta at Chili's (amazing), and many times some sort of Alfredo dish at other restaurants that have it). I asked her for the recipe when I saw it and it was very detailed and complicated because she got the recipe from Guy Fieri on the Food Network Channel. It was way out of my league. So, I brought in reinforcements to make it - Lindsey, my meal supervisor/instructor, and my good ol' mama to help define some terms. In the end...it turned out great! At the end, we even decided to make it a candlelit dinner. -T

Ingredients do not include bleach

So...preheat oven blah blah blah...okay, here we go..."Dredge the chicken breasts in the blackening spice..." Wait...dredge? This is us dredging!

"Blacken both sides of the chicken..." No problem!

"Roughly chop marinated sun-dried tomatoes..." Check! (and notice our newest purchase in the background - kid dishes!)

"Slice chicken in strips on the bias..." Apparently...it means diagonal.

To me it means "slanty."

"Deglaze the pan with white wine." Dewhat the who with what? Okay, our intrepation of it...pour a little water in it.

Ah yes...deglazing with clear water.

It actually looks like it might taste good!

Schlensker party of two your table (and meal) is ready!

I think it looks like a restaurant!

We got our greens(from our garden), bread(homemade by Lindsey), scallions (which come to find out is just green onions)...seriously, very restaurant-esque!

Why do we keep taking pictures and are not eating yet!?

Our candlelit dinner for two! =)

Okay, now, who's gonna clean it up?