Its that XOXOXO time of year.

Laina made this valentine holder with two plastic plates. One of the plates is cut in half. Use a paper punch to make holes all the way around the plates and sew together with ribbon. Decorate plates and then of course you have to make a lot of valentines to put your project to good use. This can keep a 6 year old busy for at least an hour. The directions called for pink and red plates but I had pink and brown left over from Bridget's baby shower so we made do.

How to make Stromboli

Sarah, Bridget, Terri and I did a meal swap this weekend. We all made a quadruple batch of one entree and divided into four meals and froze. We swaped entrees so we all ended up with four different frozen entrees. I decided to make Stromboli. I used frozen bread dough. You can use white or wheat but I used wheat. Thaw dough and roll out as pictured above.



Use whatever toppings you want. I used canadian bacon, salami, red pepper, onion..................



mozarella and provolone cheese. I 'painted' around the edges with egg wash to help seal. Carefully roll up and seal edges. Brush top of loaf with olive oil and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. I gained a frozen enchilada casserole, a chicken pasta casserole and a meatloaf in the trade.

Itti Bitti Tutto

Leila sporting her all in one cloth diapers called Itti Bitti Tuttos.



They come with a built in "poo fence" according to their website.

Mommy War

Hudson being helpful.



Here...I'll feed you Malin.




I guess I want my mommy back.

What I got for my Birthday

Yet another gadget to learn how to use:)




Laina's homemade card. She means look on the back not look on the bake as stated at the top of the card. On the back she had 'windows' you had to flip up where she had taped 3 quarters and 1 nickel. And she wrote "You can have all the coins".  I think I will save my .80 cents for a long time.



The kids admiring the fort Barry and I built out of the Lincoln Logs Barry gave me for my birthday. This fort is a lot harder to build than it looks! But they didn't look for long............................



They weren't so impressed that they didn't want to destroy it!



This little gal took two solo steps recently! GO Malin!



Babies attacking Erik.




Laina sitting on Erik.



Hudson and Laina holding Leila.

What's for Dinner............on your Birthday

I didn't feel like eating out....too cold and dark to go back out after getting home from work and putting on my favorite flannel lined jeans and fleece. I also didn't feel like having pizza, chinese takeout or burgers and fries. So......... I bought myself an entire meal at the Coop starting with Spinach Walnut Salad.

Smoked Salmon spread on multigrain baguette.

Chicken Vindaloo I had never heard of this before.

Over rice and peas.

Almond Shortbread for dessert.
Total cost of meal: $37 with enough Vindaloo and rice left over for lunch tomorrow.
Clean up after dinner-------non existent for me. (Thanks Barry)

Malin wrestles Laina

Pioneer Woman

I felt a bit like a pioneer woman when I got home from work today and couldn't get my car into the garage.



After I parked in the driveway and waded through the snow drift I couldn't get the gate open.



I had to get a shovel from the garage and shovel enough snow away to open the gate. Elsa was pretty worried about me and was crying at the window watching me shovel.

Holding Babies

At family get togethers we spend a good portion of our time holding babies!



Malin is now the 'big baby'.



Uncle Erik with Leila



Leila doesn't mind being passed around.



She sleeps right through it all. I tried to get a picture of the biggest baby (Hudson) but all the pictures turned out blurry because he's constantly on the move.

Sunbathing and A January Day at the Park

Elsa LOVES the sun and spent a good part of the day sunbathing!

Going to the park isn't something most Iowan's do in JANUARY!



Laina and I took full advantage on Saturday and spent about an hour and a half  playing on the equipment and getting fresh air.



A boy from Laina's class showed up and Laina spent the next 10 minutes hiding from him. Fortunately they left and she came out of hiding.



She loved climbing this tree.



Hangin' around.



Lounging on the "No Climbing" sign. She said her Dad gave her permission to climb up to the sign but not past.

Hi Hi Hi

Hudson tries to get the attention of passers by to say Hi but sadly--no one notices him:(

Ringing in the New Year

We spent New Year's Eve with Hudson and Laina playing wii, watching a movie, playing with Christmas toys, playing cards and with a ball. Pretty much a great end for 2011! Hudson made it till 8:30 and Laina and I made it till 10:00. Barry's the only one that was still awake at midnight.  Not unusual for us any night of the year. I'm usually in bed before 10 and he rarely is before midnight.