go to meal

9 times out of ten I have a weekly menu filled out and hanging on the frig. But on occasion we have crazy hectic nights where cooking a meal just isn't going to happen. It is those nights we either order pizza or grab some chinese.

There's also the occasional few days that John is away on business and the girls and I are home alone. The last thing I want to do when running things solo is dirty up my kitchen, make more dishes or cook. So the girls and I either have chinese or smoothies from our local juice shop. There are times when John will be away for a few days in a row...we are good for the first two nights, but any subsequent nights are on a fend for yourself basis. Usually sandwiches, mac and cheese or salads. Something light, easy and hassle free.

As you can see, chinese is a favorite at our house. John introduced me to green bean chicken and I am in love! So so so good! Ask for it the next time your out! You won't be disappointed...unless you don't like green beans. In that case, you might want to try something else.

And why is it once you've found the chinese restaurant - it's the only one that's an option. We live in a city with probably 20+ chinese restaurants, but only one makes the grade. Sadly though...even that one can't compare to our one and only favorite all time yummiest of yummy chinese places in Grand Island. Hunan's...out by the malls. Seriously some of the best you'll have. Didn't truly appreciate it until we moved and found that nothing quite measures up.

One of my favorite memories that makes me smile even to this day: 

The twins were probably 7 and Corynn was 2. We were eating chinese and the girls ordered their favorite, crab rangoon. They would pull them apart and eat the gooey centers and soft fried parts, leaving the crispy ends on the plate. Corynn held her hand out motioning for them to share. McKynna looked at Kwynn and said "Give her the legs- we don't eat them anyways." The legs!? What legs? Apparently the crispy ends are the legs. Because if you flip the crab rangoon on its ends with the puffy side up- it resembles a crab. This was of course before the girls knew there was crab in crab rangoon. They assumed the name came from the shape. Silly girls. Even to this day, the crispy ends are called legs around this house.

Valentine's

We usually find a cute valentine idea in the February issue of some magazine for Corynn's teachers. The twins weren't ever big on giving special things, but I have my hands full with Corynn. Most kids have a teacher or two, but with Corynn its every teacher she has and more. So that includes all three 4th grade teachers, her PE teacher, music teacher, art teacher, librarian, school counselor, the two office ladies, the principal and the vice principal. In case you've lost count - that's 12 special items for Christmas, Teacher appreciation and Valentine's. Its crazy and I'm not sure how it started but I kind of feel once we've started we can't just not the next time. She only has one more year- so that's good!


Anyway this year she forfeited the magazine ideas and let me pick. I chose Hershey Kiss Roses. They are super easy, fairly inexpensive and amazingly cute!

I had all the materials except the Kisses. There are around 72 in each bag so really you only need one bag to make more than enough. Each rose takes 2 candies so that's roughly 3 dozen. I used a roll of clear film wrap that I bought super cheap on clearance a few years ago. I thought it was solid and wanted to use it as a photo booth back drop for a party we were having. It was actually translucent and shimmery metallic...which wasn't so great for the original purpose- BUT perfect for the roses!

So here's what you'll need:

• Kisses
• tissue paper or film wrap or even scrap material (3 inch by 3 inch squares)
• tape or glue dots
• fake greenery (pull or cut the leaves off, leaving enough stem to allow attachment)
• scissors
• wooden skewers
• floral tape

You can google or search for tutorials- there are a gazillion! Here are the basics:

Tape/glue dot two kisses together on the flat ends. (I taped all the doubles before moving onto the next step)

Poke the tip of the skewer into one end of your doubled kisses. (not all the way through- just enough to hold it in place while you wrap the tape)

Wrap the paper around the kisses and secure to the skewer with the floral tape. 

Add leaves onto the skewer as you wrap the tape down the stick 

When you're done...you'll have these little cuties! 

We bundled them into bouquets of three, wrapped them with ribbon and attached a little note. 

Roses are red

Violets are blue

Happy Valentine's Day

from me to you! 

Corynn loves them and is super excited! So I consider it a success. Not to mention it only took me a half hour to make 36. Double score! 

saturday

We spent Saturday afternoon at our family acreage just north of the city. We love our acreage! (you can read more about our little piece of heaven  here and here and here and here and here and here and here etc etc etc)

It was a typical winter/spring day in Nebraska...upper 40s with a biting wind that about blew your face off. But that didn't stop us from enjoying time together. John's brother and his family were also at the homestead enjoying the country life.

Evie ran

and ran

She discovered snow or what little was left and wasn't impressed.

 She thought about laying down on the driveway

but decided picking through rocks and throwing them was much better! 

(Luke and Ryan)

Our nephew's motor bike was great entertainment! Corynn even took it out for a few spins. 

Kynna still loves her climbing tree! 

(Corynn and Sam)

We set up shooting targets

and took turns knocking them down. 

She's a natural! 

Our nephew, Ryan aka Corynn's shadow. 

Fun times!!

honker

So I have a cold. I nasty, head splitting, ear ringing, go through a box of tissue a day kind of cold. I'm rarely sick. Maybe a cold a year if that. Definitely never had the flu or any other version that may need antibiotics...and I'm really hoping this isn't one of those. So far the kids and John are all good- even Evie. So we're crossing our fingers.

Now - I'm a blower. There are three different kinds of people; a blower, a sniffler and a wiper. I blow my nose every time it runs. I hate when people sniffle is back down their throats- blech! And wipers...that's just a lost cause. You end up just wiping all day long! Might as well stick a wadded up tissue in your nose hole and plug the leak. Well, Wednesday night was pretty bad and I kept having to get up and blow my nose. I was in the privacy of my own room, I'm sick and I'm tired so I got kind of loud blowing my nose. I was just trying to get it all out so I could breathe and hopefully get a little bit of sleep. John didn't stir from his slumber or say anything after the first round...so I just kept at it...all night long. I apologized in the morning for being so loud. The sweet husband that he is said "No big deal."

Evie has decided she is blower too! The other day she came over, grabbed a tissue, held it up to her nose and then blew a raspberry into it so that it sounded like me blowing my nose. Then she wadded it up in her tiny little hands, walked over to the trash and threw it away. So funny! She did this like ten times, with a straight face and very serious. She makes me smile.

Remember how John said "No big deal." to me honking my nose all night. Well, last night he mentions how he was conversing with a co-worker about my fog horn blowing and inability to hock a lugee. Can you imagine my horror!? Thank goodness the co-worker's wife is the same way and the consensus made was that it was a girl thing. I sweetly reminded John of little promise he made - something about "...in sickness and in health".

Um ya.

I know he loves me...and my fog horn honking snot spout too!

love ya, babe!