Fun! Fun! Fun!

Thanks for the pass to the Lexington Explorium Grandpa and Grandma Lein! It is so much fun to be able to go whenever we want.
Racing to get started!


Dax lovin' the gator!


Open up and say AHHH.


Working hard in the water!


Not sure about the horse...but feeling the need for a hard hat.


The Bubble Room is a lot of fun.

Look what happens when you blow on the bubble wall. Cool!

Brotherly love....kind of.

We did have a super time. It is the gift that keeps on giving!

Not just a surgeon...

but Toy Doctor too!

This is a real use of the training that we all endured!

Almost good as new... if you don't mind the loss of mobility...a little stiff in the legs.

How on earth did this happen, you may ask???

That is right....real men sleep with tools AND destroy toys!

$23 later....

and Dax was sporting a new look by getting his first haircut! Here are some before pictures.

And here is the after.

This is the picture of the certificate that he got for his first haircut. The lady was trying to get him to look at the camera for a picture to put on it. Dax had already gotten his balloon with sucker for good behavior and was trying to figure out how to get the sucker off without me noticing. (He really disliked the clippers and was really upset just a few minutes before when she was using them on him.) She said "Dax, look at me...look at the camera." He looked up at her and said "No, I busy right now"! He looks like a little boy now and is certainly is growing up too fast!

Love is in the... fish??

I don't know what is up with all the weird food I am coming across these days but when I opened up the tuna to thaw on Sat. night this is what I found in one of the pieces. How appropriate!

We put the boys to bed and then cooked dinner together on Valentine's evening . We made salad, tuna steaks and a new pasta dish from Giada. It was very tasty and really fast.

Wagon Wheels with Artichoke Pesto

1 pound rotelle (wagon wheel pasta)

1 (8-ounce) package of frozen artichoke hearts, thawed

1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, lightly packed

1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

1 garlic clove

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.Meanwhile, in a food processor combine the artichokes, parsley, walnuts, lemon zest and juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Chop the ingredients fine, stopping the machine a few times to scrape down the sides. With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil. Transfer the artichoke pesto to a large serving bowl and stir in the cheese. Add the warm pasta and toss to combine. If needed, add the reserved pasta water 1/4 cup at a time to moisten the pasta and create a sauce like consistency. Serve.

I could not find frozen artichoke hearts so I used canned ones; drained. Watch the walnuts closely when toasting them in the oven. I burned the first batch. I also used 1/2 to 2/3 c olive oil. It made a ton of pasta and it turned a weird color when refrigerated but still tastes very yummy. X called it Spiderman pasta (of course) because he thought the wheels look like webs. Both boys ate the pasta as leftovers NO problem.

Here are the boys opening up their V-Day "surprises" from us on Sat. morning. They were so excited to see a bag on the table at their seats in the morning.

1 Package = 2 VERY happy boys

Thank you Grandma for the great package. To see their expressions and reaction to it made it worth the $10 in shipping! We could feel the love that you sent along with it!

Xavier's reactions were genuine too! I didn't pose him!

A Tato

Interesting huh? I came across this potato at the bottom of the sack and could NOT cut it up without taking a picture! It is soooo funny looking! Steve and I both have our thoughts of what it looks like but what do the kids think?

Me: Xavier, what does this potato look like?
X: I think it looks like a rainbow.

Sure I can kind of see that.

Me: What do you think this potato looks like Dax?
Dax: A Tato.

We have got a creative thinker here....must take after Daddy.

What do you think it looks like?


Here is a recipe for potato wedges or oven fries. This really isn’t a new recipe but it is a different way to prepare them. They are much lower in fat than my old way and I think they have a better texture. Try them!

Crispy Potato Wedges

2 lbs potatoes

1 T olive oil

garlic powder, black pepper, salt, rosemary

Preheat oven to 450. Scrub potatoes, leaving skins on and cut into wedges. Put oil and seasonings, except salt, into a ziplock bag. Squeeze bag to mix. Add potatoes to bag and toss them until they are coated. Place in a single layer on a heavy baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt. Bake for 30-45 mins or until golden. Do not flip wedges.

Rather than wedges, I made more of a rectangular fry shape to ensure more even cooking. I have made these this way a couple of times, with and without the rosemary. The reason for sprinkling with salt after coating with oil is that salt makes the potatoes release liquid and the oil and seasonings don’t stick as well. I was guessing that 2 lbs. was 3 large or 4 med. potatoes. Just a guess though.

Enjoy your tatos!

Is blue my color?

Do I have a son or a Smurf?

This is what happens when you set your 2 year old up with stickers and paper in the SAME room that you are in so that you can try to get something done.

Like the "trouble magnet" that he is, Dax somehow found a blue Spiderman marker to get the job done!

ME: Dax! What did you do?

DAX: I use martah on my mouf.

ME: Why did you do that? (Xavier standing beside me): Yeah, why?

DAX: Beepuz

ME: Because why?

DAX: I don't know...I don't know duys (guys).

I guess I got my answer!

Here are the tree shots from the backyard. I have posted the first 2 earlier but wanted to give you the full effect.

Before, during and after the ice storm.

Here are the piles of branches on both sides of the driveway in front.

Is there a Dr. in the house?

Xavier has been asking for weeks for an OR mask. Steve finally remembered to bring a mask and a bonnet home as a surprise for the boys. Steve was so proud to have remembered. Xavier put his on right away and then asked “Where are the rest of the Dr. clothes?” Dax was less than thrilled to even have it on. Steve was “deflated” and was wondering why he even bothered? I do think that Xavier looked cute though!

A funny conversation we have with Xavier goes something like this:

Xavier do you know any doctors?

Yes, I do! Dr. Conrad (Dax’s ENT when he was having his ear problems), Dr. Coleman (the boy’s ped. in Maysville) and Dr. Parrot (the boys current ped.)

Do you know any other doctors?

Xavier thinks for a moment…you can just see the wheels turning… No, I don’t. That’s it!

Crispy seasoned Pita Chips

Crispy Seasoned Pita Chips

6 pita breads
¼ cup olive oil
dried seasonings such as Italian seasoning, rosemary, basil, caraway, cumin, garlic etc.
salt
pepper

Preheat oven to 400. Cut pita pockets in half and then each half into triangles. Arrange triangles on a baking sheet into a single layer. Add the seasonings of your choice to the olive oil and then brush each triangle with the oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bake 5-8 mins until crispy watching closely as they burn quickly. Serve with your favorite dip, soup or just munch on them straight off the baking sheet.

I made these for the first time for Xavier’s 4th birthday party to be used as a dipper for green Goddess Dip and Cheese Fondue. They were a big hit! I just made these the other night to serve with some homemade bean soup. I used store bought whole wheat pitas, garlic powder, rosemary and Italian seasonings. I separated the pocket into two sides and cut them into triangles with a pizza cutter. The boys just loved them! Me too!