Believe or Not!!

These are the pictures from Layla's dance rehearsal and recital. She was adorable! The blue and green polka dot costume was for a newer version of Under the Sea from The Little Mermaid. They were shaking their little tails and it was SO cute!

beware!!

I know this may not seem for real, but I may actually be able to blog tomorrow. I have to prepare a paper and a presentation for school tomorrow, and take the kids to gymnastics, and go to lunch with my friends, but sometime I may actually be able to put some pictures on the blog...we will have to see!!!

Austin's 7th Birthday!

Austin turned 7 yesterday! When did he get so old? We had a fun family party with him. He got lots of presents and had a good day.

His Aunt Laura made his Birthday cake. It was DELICIOUS!!! And beautiful!

Chronical of Austin's!

This is a picture about a month after Austin's first birthday. This is one of the only digital pics I have from when he was little because our computer crashed so many timesThis is right after Austin's third birthday. Finally he has hair!! The next picture is Austin on his 4th birthday. We didn't do much for that birthday because we were still adjusting to having three kids!

For his 5th birthday we were in Florida with Grandma, Grandpa, Emily and David. That was LOTS of fun.

Food

When we were in Mexico we ate free breakfast. Which consisted of refried beans, tortilla chips with salsa and cheese (but not really nachos), scrambled eggs, fresh cantaloupe, watermelon, and papaya, and assorted pastries and dry cereals. Along with fresh orange juice, pineapple juice, grapefruit juice, milk, or hot chocolate. (The hot chocolate was very mild and had a hint of nutmeg and cinnamon. I loved it!)

For lunch and dinner each day we ventured out and tried to find authentic Mexican food. Not the kind made for Americans, but the kind made for the Mexican workers. We ate in little hole in the wall places, but man, they had the BEST food. We always drank bottled soda. I think only one place even had soda on tap. The bottles were glass and were obviously recycled.

The first night we were there we had pork tacos with cabbage and radishes as the garnish. No lettuce and cheese at that restaurant. In fact, only one place served cheese on the tacos, and I don't think we saw lettuce the entire time we were there...Oh, one time we did at a slightly more Americanized place, it was the place that had a stump in the floor and then a stump in the ceiling, they must have had a tree growing through the restaurant at one time and then decided to remove it.

At almost every single place we got to see our food being cooked. The kitchens were open into the restaurant. It was pretty neat.

They always served fresh limes. Man, they were good! Who knew tacos with lime squeezed on it would be so yummy.

One of our last nights there we were all ready for some good old fashioned American Food. Tacos are good, salsa is even better, but our bellies just weren't cut out for that much spicy food in such a short amount of time.

We were walking through Playa after walking on the beach and came upon a 1950s style restaurant that advertised a good old fashioned hamburgers and malts. We couldn't resist. Jason ordered a ham and cheese sandwhich, I got a vanilla malt, Jessica Loff got a BLT and we shared a plate of fries and onion rings. Man that food hit the spot. These pictures are of us in the restaurant and then after our second walk along the beach that night.

Tulum

Tulum is one of the ancient Mayan civilizations. It is right on the beach and is really neat. We took a crazy ride there. We rode the Collectivo, which I am not sure what that really means, but it was a big giant van full of all different people going to all different places. The van driver drove like a maniac and there were no seat belts. We were happy when we arrived there safely.

While wandering around and looking at the ancient ruins I could totally see the Nephites living there hundreds of years ago. It was so cool!

There was a big wooden set of steps that led down to the beach. A lot of people went down and were swimming in the water. We decided not to since none of us had our swimming suits on. Although that didn't stop some people...much to Jason and Lenny's entertainment!

Differences

There were a lot of differences in Mexico. One they seem to not worry about wiring being exposed. This is a picture of a street light. Seriously. The wires are just out there, open to the elements. It was like that is a lot of the restaurants that we ate in also...

Sorry the picture is rotated the wrong way, I couldn't figure out how to turn it the right way.

Mexico

We are home...We had an awesome time!!

The weather was amazing.

The beach was incredible.

The food was delectable!

I want to go back!

Recipe

This is a recipe that my sister-in-law Laura (Ralph's wife) sent me. We LOVE it. Everyone in my family likes this. It is a little bit of work, but so worth it.

Italian Wedding soup

3/4 pound ground turkey
1/4 cup cold water
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup finely minced onion
1/2 cup plain dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (I use the normal cheaper kind)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper

8 cups chicken broth
2 large carrots, chopped
1 cup orzo or patina pasta
1 (10ounce) package fresh spinach, washed, trimmed and torn into bite sized pieces

Mix first set of ingredients (turkey through pepper) Roll into bite sized meatballs

Put broth and carrots on the stove top and allow to simmer to desired tenderness (I have also added celery at this point). Add pasta (I have only ever found orzo in my grocery store) and let cook for 5 minutes.

Add meatballs and simmer for 10 minutes. (I have used my smallest cookie scoop to make meatballs. The first couple times I scooped and then rolled them so they look nice. The last time I was in a super hurry and just scooped them and dropped them into the soup. They were a little strange looking, but just as tasty.)

Add spinach, stir in and let simmer for at least one minute. It will seem like a TON of spinach at first, but it quickly wilts down and there doesn't seem to be too much.

Serve! Enjoy.

This will feed my family of 5 for dinner one night and for lunch the next day. But we all REALLY like it. My kids will each have at least two servings. And in general they don't eat that much.

One time I added four extra cups of chicken broth and we still gobbled it up, that time I think we had it for two dinners.

Whoa, when did my kid grow up? I don't like it...

Yesterday we are walking through the grocery store. I am looking at the list of the sale things that I am wanting to get. Four cartons of ice cream, $1.48 each. I pack of boneless. skinless chicken breasts, $1.48 per pound...

"Mom, do people say F***?"

WHAT!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Yeah, you read that right. My little boy, Austin, asked me if people use THAT word! HE IS SIX!!!! (I actually wrote SICK at first, that makes me laugh.)

I was so stunned that I couldn't say anything for a minute. Then I told him that WE don't say that word and it is a naughty word. Then I told his dad what he said and let Jason do the fatherly thing and tell him that we NEVER say that word, and that it is terrible and bad and that your mother will have a heart attack if she ever hears you say that again...or something like that...

Anyway, I feel like my innocence is lost. Since when do kids say that in the first grade?

Homeschooling anyone?

Where do I even start?

I guess it will be a good thing if any of my friends and family even look at my blog anymore,since I do not keep it up to date. I hope you do, I better get some comments, or this may be the last post ever...but then if no one is looking at it, it should be the last post ever!

I finally have my good computer working and put back together. The internet is faster, and we found the cable to connect the camera to the computer. I have pictures from November still on the camera. Thankfully I have a big memory card.

We had a big winter snow this week. Austin's school was canceled and so was Jason's. It was wonderful, we got to spend the entire day home, together as a family. We even bundled the kids up and let them play in the snow. We literally had to brush the cobwebs off of the sleds!

Happy Birthday to Ryan!!

Today is my baby's third birthday. He is growing up so fast. It is funny that when Austin turned three he seemed HUGE!!! Giant!! I mean, when Austin turned three we had Layla who was 10 months old and we were trying to get pregnant again. But Ryan seems so little still. I can still rock him to sleep during sacrament meeting (ok, maybe once a month, but still). He is half the size of Austin, who is just a little boy still.

I think that I am in denial. I don't want to give up having a baby. But then I think about my little brother Andy, who is still the baby of the family, even though he has two children of his own. I guess that Ryan can still be my baby.

So happy birthday baby Ryan!!

Jason is in school all day Wednesdays (12-9). Thankfully elementary school was two hours late so we had a little party this morning and let Ry open his present. (Yes, we only gave him one present, but it was a pretty cool one. A train set that comes in a wooden box.) We are having his favorite meal, Hot Dogs and Mac and cheese with canned green beans.

He wanted a ball cake for dessert. How easy is that?!?! Well, I get home from taking him to Chuck e Cheeses for lunch and look in the pantry for a cake mix...hmmm...no cake mix. Go look in the basement...hmmm...no cake mix. Go look in the round shelf where cans live...hmmmm...no cake mix. Look in the pantry again and find a chocolate cake mix hiding in the back...Thank goodness! Bake cake. Meanwhile, look for frosting. Have about 1/5 of a tub in the fridge, white, just what I need. Perfect. Look in the round shelf, no white...look in the basement, no white...SEVEN tubs of chocolate frosting (no, I am not making that up) but no white. Go back upstairs, find vanilla, not quite white, but it will have to do. Frost the cake. Go to get candles out...there is a 6, there is a 4, there is a 2, and there are two plain candles...THAT IS IT!!! No three, and not three candles on their own...WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO??

Anyway, we will make do, he can't read anyway, right?

Believe it or not....

I am posting something on my blog!!

I always feel like I need to have pictures to post on the blog. Well, that means that I would have to find the camera at the same time that I am able to take five minutes to sit down at the computer. Well, that has not happened in months. So you get a post with no picture...or maybe a really old one, if I can find one on this computer.

We had a great Christmas. Probably one of our best. I didn't stress. I didn't spend too much money. And I didn't wish for any presents. No one was disappointed. I had six days off before Christmas and it was fantastic.

Jason has been hard at work on the basement. The back bedroom/exercise room is 90% done. It needs trim work and a little bit of painting touch up. The rest of the basement is framed out and dry walled. The next step is spackle, which I kind of think he is putting off.

Jason goes back to school this week, so everything will be put off for a while. He is taking two credit classes (Anatomy & Physiology and Principles of Logic) and also a non-credit class to get a Nursing Technician Certificate. The non-credit class will allow him to get a job in a hospital and be sure that it is something that he is really interested in doing before he starts Nursing School. It will also get him some experience and allow him to earn some money. That will be really good because...

I just had to switch jobs and take a 25% pay cut. They are getting rid of the contract positions at my hospital so I took a staff job. The major benefit to that, and the reason I am not looking for another job, is that they will pay for me to go back school and get my Bachelor's degree. Right now I only have an Associates. I will change from a RN to a BSN. It means about $1 more per hour, but a lot more opportunities. I AM SO EXCITED!!! I will start back to school the first week in April.

Last but not least, the kids are great. It is hard to believe that my baby is going to be three in a couple weeks. When did they get so big? I know that that is going to keep occuring to me over the years.

That is about it in the Crowl household. Maybe no one will read this because you all have given up on me!!

My husband is freaking awesome!

My husband is really amazing. He is pure muscle. If you think this isn't amazing, just try it. Or have your husband try it. He is using only his abs. My abs can hardly do a single sit-up, let alone lift my entire body weight over my head. Man, he is so cool!

Future Photographer

Layla has become obsessed with taking pictures. Most of them were not really worth saving, but these few were pretty good. The first one I just love the look on Ryan's face. I could do without the way my behind looks in my work pants, but he is just adorable. I had no idea that she was taking that picture.

Bowling

During Education week, Jason took Layla to Austin's school to go bowling. These are the pictures that he took. What a good Daddy!

I love Austin's bowling stance!!

Vote

Does anyone know which of my children this is?

Twilight-the movie review

First of all,this post contains spoilers, so if you plan on seeing it and don't want my opinion, pass this post. Second of all, I really did like the movie, despite the following.

#1 I guess that I am secretly racist and never knew it, because all of Bella's high school friends were white when I was reading the book. They were also normal, not weirdos. I guess that leads to

#2 I am getting old also. I thought there was too much teenage stuff. For example, in my reality teenagers don't own cell phones. Yes, I know that I live in a fake reality. But, come-on. Why couldn't she just email her mom like she did in the book? Why did she have her i-pod on when she was waiting in the parking lot?

#3 What happened to Edward's "crooked smile." I don't think he smiled more than once in the movie? Also, she frequently talks about him dazzling her. Where was the dazzling?

#4 I think that they missed a lot by not including their conversations. I guess that we saw them talking a lot, and maybe that was when they talked about everything, like what they like to hunt. Like the whole history of Carlisle..I just think all of those deep conversations were really important.

#5 I am never satisfied with movies after I have read the book, so I should have expected this. They always add stuff in that seems so silly and then take out really good stuff.

All in all, I am glad I saw the movie.

What did you think?

School Pictures

This year's school pictures. Better than last years, but still!! Do they tell him to make the funniest face possible? COME ON!!!

The day after Halloween

The morning after Halloween I stepped outside to see candy wrappers in my grass. I was very frustrated, having seen kids eat the toss the previous night, where are your parents?!?!

So, anyway, the next morning there on my grass is a Snicker's wrapper, a Hershey's wrapper, and a Reese's wrapper. Well, I reached down to grab them all up and low and behold, they were not wrappers at all. They were still full of chocolaty goodness! I felt like it was Christmas morning, candy just magically appearing on my days normal path! Later that day I also found a tootsie pop!

Halloween

Here are our Halloween Pics. We all went trick or treating Halloween night. Michelle, Navin, and Mikayla came over and had dinner then went trick or treating with us.

Austin was a lion, using the costume that Grandma Carol made for Uncle Mike about 20 years ago. Layla was a kitty cat. And Ryan was a monkey. Little Mikayla was a butterfly wearing a costume that I bought for $4 at a consignment shop!

We had a great time. The kids were worn out before the parents were. I was not impressed with the number of teenagers out (sans costume) trying to get candy. In fact when we got home there was a gang of teenagers on our front porch. When they saw that our candy bowl was empty they picked it up and threw it across the yard.

I'm Bella, but don't tell my husband, he doesn't like her