Note by Note piano recital-Christmas 2011

Peyton had his Christmas piano recital on Thursday.

He did a great job!

He got a little nervous just before it was his turn and leaned over and said, "Mom I'm a little scared."

He had his turn a couple people later and did great!

The video is below (however Addison was having a hard time and was making a lot of noise and wanted to talk about stuff)

Hope you can hear it okay.

Enjoy!!

What's for dinner? Day 15

Papa John's pizza

Bad day, enough said.

Festival D'lights

The kids and I met my good friend (and college roommate) Vicki in Bellevue at the Bellevue Botanical Gardens to see their light display Festival D'lights.

It was free that night because it was a Key Bank sponsored night.  Usually it's $5 a person.

It was great for free but I don't know about paying the $5 :)

Then we went for some hot chocolate at Starbucks afterwards.  Yum!!

What was for dinner you ask?--Day 14

We had Taco Time.

We were running late and grabbed it after we had gone to Target on the way to meet Vicki.

It wasn't very good :(

Homemade meals are usually so much better!!

Stay tuned for the next meal.

We have our maps and are ready to go!

The lake of lights--Addison informed me that it was NOT real water.

Vicki and I courtesy of Peyton's photography :)
It was a sea monster behind us but you can only see the "rainbow"

What's for dinner? Day 13

Easy peasy! 

That's what putting a chuck roast in the crock pot is. . .
(throw in a little minced onion, salt and pepper and you are set).

We had roast beef sandwiches and pasta salad and yogurt for the kids.

I like to make homemade buns but tonight that wasn't going to happen :)  We had some hoagie buns from Safeway with some cheese, a little may and mustard and some pasta salad.

Pasta Salad

We make it according to the number to be served so the amounts can change.  And I tend to eyeball the amount anyway.

Tricolored rotini pasta
Colby-Jack cheese, cubed (cheesesticks work great for this)
Sliced olives
cucumber, sliced and quartered
pepperoni (I like the new little mini circles they have)

Mix together in a bowl and toss with Italian dressing of your choice!

Done! :)

What's for dinner? Day 12

Today we had my mom's delicious Cream of Broccoli soup.

I have actually never made it, when we were in Utah we just had Grandma Cherie make it for us.  But now that we don't live there I had to attempt it.

My kids LOVE it!

And Peyton actually said, "Mom this tastes like the "original", you know Grandma Cherie's."

I think that must mean I did OK :)

Cream of Broccoli Soup

6-8 cups chicken broth

3 1/4 cups potatoes, diced

1/2 cup onion, diced

3 cups broccoli, chopped

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

3 cans evaporated milk

1 cube butter, melted

1/2 tsp paprika

Lawry's seasoned salt to taste

Simmer potatoes, onions and broccoli in 3 cups chicken broth from 20 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients--remaining chicken broth, salt, pepper, evaporated milk, melted butter, and paprika.  Simmer and thicken(mix cold water and flour together and shake or stir well to avoid lumps), pour water and flour mixture slowly in soup until desired thickness.  Season to taste with pepper and seasoned salt.  Add grated cheese on top.  Enjoy!

What's for dinner? Day 11

Tonight we went to Arlington to Matt and Andrea's for dinner.

It was Max's Birthday.

Happy 5th Birthday Max!!

We had delicous meat loaf (Peyton had three slices!), brocolli, rolls, smashed potatoes, brussel sproats (that incidently I have never eaten because Joe does not like them, but they were actually quite yummy).

And then we had cake and presents--and poor Max threw up.

What an end to a birthday party!?!

Here's our new family project:

I found it on Pinterest here.

I just printed I love you because on a piece of photo paper and put it in a frame.

Then every morning someone new puts up a message with a dry erase marker on the glass.

So far we have had I love you because:

you looked so cute in your new jammies

mom, dad, j.d. and peyton (I think Addison understood I love. . . )

your my family (see above per Peyton)

We are looking forward to seeing what else comes!

The only rule we have is that you have to leave someone's comment up for at least a day :)

What's for dinner? Day 10

Yesterday we went to the Pacific Northwest Ballet-Nutcracker in Seattle.

Joe and I and Peyton and Addison.

We dressed up and had a lovely time!



The "half eaten" Mouse King cookie and the Sugar Plum fairy cupcake.

As for dinner---we had a 40th birthday party to go to of a wonderful friend from when we lived in Marysville. 

We went to The Noble Court in Bellevue for dinner.

We had some potstickers, dim sum, beef and broccoli, cashew shrimp, sweet and sour chicken. . .you get the picture.  It was yummy!