On to an amazing year!!

2011 here we come!!!  I cannot believe how fast this year has gone by!  Ever since I had the girls it seems like time has just gone faster and faster.  2010 has been a decent year for our family.  It had its ups and downs but whose year doesnt have those?  Looking back at this year I feel so blessed!  Here's a few things Im thankful for:

These little ladies are my life!  I dont know where I would be today without them and feel so blessed that the Lord gave them to me.

I am thankful for the wonderful man in my life.  He helped me acheive a huge goal this year, to become a stay at home mom, and I am so appreciative.  <3

And I am definitely thankful for my Family!  We would be nowhere without all of you!

For my resolution, I would like to become more patient and just relax and enjoy life,  and also lose a few pounds... okay maybe a lot of pounds.. :) Ill keep ya posted on how that goes! LOL Hope everybody has a great 2011!  Lets all think positive and make it happy.  Remember, the grass is only greener where you water it, not always on the other side! Unless youre like some people I know and water everybody elses grass before you do your own, and in that case, take it easy this year, sit in your lawnchair with the sprinkler goin and breathe in the fresh air! :) Sometimes, you just have to make it happen!  2011 HERE WE ARE!!

The Polar Express

Wow, its been a lil bit since I've been on!  The past week has just flown by!  Well time has been flying by in general anyways.  Christmas was wonderful!  The girls got to see snow for the first time!   I've seen snow before, but by the time it hit the ground it was melted, so I was excited to see snow like this also for the first time.  I LOVE the snow!! My husband on the other hand was reminded why he doesnt want to live anywhere cold like that again, lol.  He's from Chicago, and is tired of snow.  Coming from AZ, I love anything cold, and wet.  At first, the girls weren't to sure about it, they got out of the car and noticed how slippery it was and just wanted to get inside.  That was until I showed them that you can make it into a ball and throw it at daddy!  Boy did they have fun with that. 

Look at those AWESOME jackets!  They were kept so nice and cozy in those wonderful jackets.. *THANKS GRANDMA!!*  I love the weather up there.  It was perfect.  Just cold enough for the snow but not overwhelming or uncomfortable. 

We finally get the girls to come up to our hotel room and within 20 minutes, Miss Scarlett Anne got her head stuck between the thick metal luggage bars.  Boy was that fun!  Unfortunately I did not get a picture, that would've been hilarious.  But at the time, I was just concerned about getting my screaming 3 year old out of the bars.  Poor Cassie thought this was the end of her dear sister and was not having a great time either.  My husband ran down to get help and by the time him, hotel staff, and hotel security were back up I had squeezed her little booty out of the bars. (thank God!) Hopefully she learned her lesson! :)

Next up was the actual "Polar Express".  It was so fun!  The train was built in 1921 so it was like stepping into a time machine.  It was so nice and toasty in there I could've just sat there all night.  Of course the girls each got a window seat.

They had the whole outside decorated with lights and people were standing around waving at all the people on the train.  Even Mrs. Claus came the wave goodbye to the passengers. It took about 30 mins but we got to the north pole!  The girls were so excited to see Santa!

They passed out hot cocoa and chocolate chip cookies and read the Polar Express book while we were waiting patiently for Santa to make his rounds.

When Santa handed the girls their bells, their eyes lit up like the fourth of July!

All in all, we had an amazing time!  The drive felt a little long to me, but slowly Im getting used to driving long distances. lol. 

Try the terrible three's!

Wow I dont know if its just mine, but holy moly!  My three year olds are acting crazy these past few days.  Maybe its the full moon.  I feel they are worse now than when they were two, and those were supposed to be the terrible tantrums, lol. I cannot understand it!  Perhaps becuase this is my first time going through this or these girls are just more strong willed than any other kid on this planet.  Whatever it is, I'm movin bedtime up to 5pm. ;)  When they're good, they are sooo good.  But, when they're bad, oh my lord!  They are SO bad. 

So I've been lazy the past two days and didnt really put any effort into cooking.  I've just been so exhausted!  (man i have no clue why) I am definitely making stuffed peppers tomorrow.  I have all the ingredients now, so there is NO excuse lol They are so yummy, I never realized how much I loved stuffed peppers until the girls were born and they were made for me a day or two after I got out of the hospital.  Normally I'm a picky girl but I was way to tired to care and with breastfeeding two little babies, was starving and would've ate anything they put in front of me.  OMG I had never tasted anything so good and swore I would learn to make them.  Finally I figured it out and can make them.  I dont know why I waited so long, they are soooo easy!  I use 1 pound of ground beef and 1 pound of ground pork mix in some fresh minced garlic and onion, an egg to make em stick, and about 2 cups of rice, stuff the bell peppers and put them in the crock pot with some tomato sauce and a lil water.  Cook for a few hours and you have yourself an amazing meal.  I dont eat the peppers but I like the aftertaste they leave.

Well, I've got some christmas wrapping to do and than off to bed.  Hope everyone has a great night! <3

Its Raining!!!

From my title you can probably tell that, well, I love when it rains.  Its Arizona so anytime it rains, its a good day.  I think most people who were born here or have lived here for a long time would agree with me. When I see a rainy day in the forecast I get all giddy like a little kid.  Especially now that I can be home most of the time.  Thats the only thing I probably dislike about rain, Im not the best at driving in it. I cant even imagine driving in the snow!

So today was the last day of school until the new year.  I cant believe that its already almost 2011!  This year seems to have flown by.  The girls are going to go crazy without school!  They love school, which I am so happy for, but now without it, I'm going to have to step up my game.  I got these little workbooks, so hopefully they will like those.  So far all they like is the sticker portion of the book.  Most likely I'll have to take them to the library a few times, and maybe the museum.  That should be fun, I havent been there since I was little.  School today consisted of partying for the end of the year, and lots of sugar which I thought would make my kids bounce off the walls.  However, when we got home, it was all drizzly and cold out so I thought it would be fun to get in our footie pajamas and drink some hot cocoa.  Within the hour this is what the scene looked like...

Yeah not quite what I expected!  They were so cozy apparently, and worn out from all the HARD WORK at school that they passed out! My husband came home for lunch and was shocked at how quiet the house was.  He thought something was wrong until I told him that the kids were simply taking a nap!  Its been a LONG time since they have taken naps.  I know most moms lay their kiddies down for one until they are about 4 or 5 but these girls get soooo much energy from naps they werent going to bed till 10 or sometimes even 11 so I nixed the naps and whalla! 8 o'clock bed time no prob!  They sleep through the night until about 9 am so I think thats pretty good.  Dont get me wrong!  If they want to take a nap I let them, I just dont force it and I think it seems to work out great for us.

Unfortunately I did not make peppers today.  I got some more christmas shopping done! Pretty much done now!  I think maybe one more thing and we are good!  Yay!! The girls are also going to make these amazing little things for some family members.  I know its nothing fancy but sometimes I think the homemade gifts are better.  They're from the heart!  Especially from little hands, they just are that much more precious!  If you want to know what it is, shoot me an email, I will post it after Christmas because a few of my followers will be getting this gift and I want them to be excited.  SO send me an email and i'll tell you what it is and how to do it, its PERFECT for little hands to make.  Maybe I'm just too sentimental.. lol I keep EVERYTHING the girls bring home from school.  By the time they're in 1st grade I'll need another storage shed just for their projects. :)

Ok, well I now have a date with my king sized bed and big fluffy pillow.  See ya'll tomorrow!  Goodnight!

Pumpkiny cheesecake Heaven!

I LOVE Food Network, and the cooking channel but honestly, some, or most of the recipes are kinda out of this world, not something that an everyday gal has time, nor the patience to make, especially with kids running around or poking their noses into what your doing every second... (will I ever be able to pee by myself again?). So here is one that is AMAZING yet simple.  I know that Thanksgiving has long passed but I could eat pumpkin year round and think most people still enjoy it at Christmastime... and cheesecake... c'mon!! Who doesn't like cheesecake?  Mix the two and you have well, Heaven!  So this one does take a while to make, and its not the cheapest thing either, but it is definitely worth every penny and those sweat and tears.  If you check, you might have some of the stuff in your pantry already.  You will need a sringform pan for this.  To tell you the truth, I had NO clue what that was, so I looked it up and now its like how did I ever bake without this?!  You can make cakes in it too so its handy to have around.  If you're going to take this somewhere, start the day before!  Here goes!

Ingredients:

about 40 ginger snaps *finely crushed*
1/4 cup of butter (get the real thing, no margarine)
1/4 cup pecans or walnuts *finely chopped*
4 packages of cream cheese softened
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1tbsp. of pumpkin pie spice
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin
whipped topping of course!

Directions:
Heat the oven to about 325*F.  To make the crust you need to make sure the ginger snaps are very finely crushed!  Big lumps wont stick. I like to put them in a plastic bag and have the girls beat it to death, that usually does the job.  Once crushed, mix with the butter and the finely chopped pecans or walnuts.  Spray the springform pan with some butter spray or pam, and press into the bottom and up the side a bit... If it wont stick, no worries, just go as high as it will go without crumbling back down.  I like to sprinkle a little bit of sugar on top after I get it pressed in, I feel that it makes it just a bit crunchier!  In a bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and sugar with a mixer and mix really well.  Add the pumkin, spice, and vanilla.  Once all mixed, add the eggs one at a time making sure to mix well after each addition.  Pour on top of the crust. Bake for about an hour and a half.  The sides will be nice and set while the middle will still be jiggly but not wet looking.  Cool for about an hour and than remove the lining of the pan.  Refrigerate for another four hours. (I KNOW!! Thats forever but its definitely worth it, nobody wants a runny cheesecake, blech)  When you're ready to eat pop a little whipped cream on top and enjoy!  Make sure there is plenty of milk to go round because, wow, this baby is rich!  You know the saying! "Chocolate, men, and pumpkin cheesecake, are all better rich..." OKAY maybe i made that up, but its pretty true right? lol

This dessert by far was the best one I've made yet, even our neighbor who is iffy on pumpkin had a piece and raved about it so much, the other next door neighbor came over and asked for a piece!  Unfortunately for him, by then it was long gone.. it doesnt last long let me tell ya!  Its a pretty nice sized pie too I would say we got about 13 slices from it.

Good luck everybody!  Its super simple to make, just waiting for it is the hardest! Tomorrow I will probably be making Stuffed Peppers, (mmmmm  the best) and girl you know it will be the easiest way possible, you should never have to get stressed out in the kitchen, just make it how you want, and it usually will turn out great!  And if not, oh well, just pretend like you rocked it! :) Talk to you tomorrow! <3

p.s. if you do make this heavenly pie, make sure to comment below and let me know!  I wanna see what ya'll think!

Ok so tonight I was dreaming of the yummy "Crab Alfredo" from Red Lobster, but alas, having a budget means not eating out a lot, and definitely not Red Lobster... So I decided to try to make my own!  I LOVED the outcome and almost would rather just do this everytime than even go to RL! 1: its cheaper, 2: no crowds 3: i can customize it!  The downsides, none of those cheesy garlicy bisquits, and the clean up afterwards... Hey I'll have to master those bisquits next!  Here is the recipe I used to make the alfredo sauce, (note: I like a thicker sauce, so customize it to your liking with a litle less cheese if you like it runnier).

Mrs. Stanescu's "famous" (ok not yet but maybe one day!) Alfredo

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons of butter
2 cloves of garlic (minced)
16 oz heavy whipping cream
salt to taste
pinch of nutmeg
parmesean and romano cheese
2 egg YOLKS *no egg whites*

Directions:

In a med-large saucepan melt the butter on medium heat. Saute the garlic in there and once mixed together, slowly add the cream stirring constantly.  Once warmed up, add the salt nutmeg and the cheese.  Add the cheese slowly so you can control the consistency, making sure the cheese is melted in the sauce before you add more.  Keep stirring!  Once you like the amount of cheese add the egg yolks and mix well.  Cook about 3 to 4 more minutes and than enjoy on top of your favorite pasta!  Add the crab, shrimp, chicken, whatever you like!  Or just eat alone, its wonderful anyway you make it.  This recipe is enough for about 4 people, so expect to have left overs or just cut it in half for less.  Make sure you have the pasta cooking because it does go pretty fast once you add the cheese.

I made a chocolate cake for dessert with some homemade buttercream frosting but while it was good, it wasnt perfect, so once I'm happy with that recipe I will post it!  Hope you enjoy the alfredo sauce!  Much love!

*yawn*

Finally my kids went to bed, well, Scarlett went to bed.  Cassie fell asleep no problem at 8 o'clock sharp while Scar decided to sit there and scream her head off, in the hopes of waking her sister no doubt.  I wisked her out of that room so fast it made her head spin.  I totally agree with that method that if your kid doesnt want to go bed, (especially a toddler) even when they scream their head off, just to kind of ignore them and eventually they will fall fast asleep, however that DOES NOT work with twins that share a room!  That usually ends up horribly with the other twin waking up and staying up until 3 in the morning while the previous "Screamer" sleeps peacefully, and me, applying duck tape to my eyes to keep them open.  What do other moms or dads do in this situation?  IDK.  Pretty much I caved in and let her sit up with me and watch Giada de Laurentiis' show in the living room till her little eyes finally closed....  Actually her show is pretty calming, maybe thats what I need to make them watch before bed!! lol  It was so much easier when they were caged in by their cribs and couldnt do anything. 
Today I was excited to master the "roast in a crockpot" dinner.  Not hard at all!  Just throw a big hunk
of meat in the crockpot, add some spices, veggies, and some broth and WAHLA! Cook for 6 to 8 hours and you got yourself a dang good meal!  My husband walked through the door after work and was taken aback by the delicious smell.  I love my crockpot you can make almost anything in there!
I also got most of my christmas shopping done!  Just a few little things here and there and we will be all good!  Pretty much stocking stuffers is it.  I am so excited for Christmas this year because the girls actually know whats going on!  I put so much effort into making Christmas enjoyable the first two years only to see that they really didnt even know the difference from any other day!  I ended up in tears the first year when they didnt care to unwrap any of the presents I spent the previous night delicately wrapping thinking they were going to jump out of bed excited for christmas lol.  This year will be that year!  This has been a fun year, I guess a fun age.  With all the tantrums, there were also lots of hugs, and good times.  They are so much more aware of whats going on and its so cute to see them get excited about things. 
Well I better be off,  the girls have school and I am volunteering tomorrow.  We are making gingerbread houses!  So fun! I'll be sure to post pictures!  Bare with me as I learn how to do this whole blogging thing!  Hopefully I'll get the hang of it! :)