Fiesta!

Dan and I decided to throw a little fiesta to celebrate Cinco de Mayo this year. We don't really know too much about this holiday, which has actually taken on more of a significance here in the U.S. than in Mexico, but, hey, it's a fun excuse to throw a party! Falling on a Monday this year, Cinco de Mayo was perfect for a fun family night and we invited a few families from our ward. We threw up some decorations, people brought some yummy Mexican foods, the weather was ideal, the company great . . . . this will definitely be a new tradition for us!

Dan mixed up some mean margaritas!

The highlight of the night: the Pinata! We went youngest to oldest, and it would be hard to say who had more fun - the kids or the adults!

Ross ended it all with this swing!

Booker and Annie showing off their loot!

I wish I would have gotten a picture of the festive table spread. Oh well, something to remember for next year. I tried out a new soup and a few people asked me for the recipe, so I thought I would post it here.

Fiesta Chicken Chowder

3 Tbsp. flour

1 envelope fajita seasoning, divided

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 cups water

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can corn, drained

1 cup uncooked instant brown rice

1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies

1 can (11 oz.) condensed fiesta nacho cheese soup

3 Tbsp. minced fresh cilantro

1 Tbsp. lime juice

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine flour and 2 Tbsp. fajita seasoning; add chicken. Seal bag and shake to coat. Saute chicken in oil until juices run clear. Remove and keep warm.

In a large saucepan, saute onion and garlic until onion is tender. Stir in the water, beans, tomatoes, corn, rice, chilies, and remaining fajita seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir in the soup, lime juice, and chicken; heat through. Top with cilantro, sour cream, and chips.

And then, enjoy with a friend!

Michael Buble

Last night we went to the Michael Buble concert. It was amazing! I have never in my life used the word "dreamy" to seriously describe someone, but I have to say, I think that is the perfect word for Michael Buble! His voice is incredible and I love his jazzy original style that gives his music such an irresistible charm. We went with Trever, Kristie, Tyler, and Stacy Ann Burnett (Trever and Tyler are brothers), and we had such a great time. Trever and Kristie's financial advisor treated us all to the concert, along with appetizers at Morton's Steakhouse beforehand. Thanks again guys for such a great night out!! We had so much fun.

Isn't he dreamy? (name the movie . . . . )

After Conference

Last night after General Conference we went over to Homestead Park to go for a walk, blow some bubbles, and take a few pictures. It was an absolutely gorgeous evening and one of the first days it has actually felt like spring!

Easter

We had a really nice Easter. Because church starts at 9:00, we told Annie we would search for our Easter baskets after church, but then Leah fell asleep on the way home, so we postponed it until after naptime. Annie was so good and patient. When Leah woke up, it was finally time to look for our hidden baskets! Annie was so excited, but when she started finding hidden eggs everywhere as well, she completely forgot about her basket. We had to keep reminding her to look for it, silly girl, she was just so excited about finding eggs! Anyway, we had a nice afternoon together as a family, and then we went to a friends' house for a big turkey dinner. It was a great day.



Annie got "the Giselle movie" she's been wanting!


Daddy got an Easter basket too, complete with a Brian Regan DVD!


I just had to put this picture in. Leah always has the cutest "sad" face. It just makes my heart melt! This was the result of taking a chocolate easter egg away from her. She was stuffing them in her mouth - foil wrapper and all.

Leah's Walking!

Leah took her first steps on March 9th, but just the past few days she's gotten a lot better. Here's a little video clip I took of her today.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Besides wearing green and pinching those who aren't, this fun little holiday often goes neglected. I didn't really have any plans to celebrate St. Patrick's Day today, so I was excited when a friend called and invited us over for a festive little get-together. Lunch was delicious; complete with green pasta, green salad, green breadsticks, and homemade oreo cookies with green frosting! So good. The kids got stickers and necklaces, colored pictures of leprechauns, and even went on a hunt for a hidden pot of gold. It was so fun, and definitely a great little tradition I just might have to keep doing!

Where's Annie?

Here’s a funny story about Annie that happened last week. I was at the computer and out of the corner of my eye I saw Annie grab the parmesan cheese off the table (I hadn’t cleaned up from lunch yet) and run into the kitchen to hide. She LOVES parmesan cheese, but knows that I don’t like her eating it just straight out of the container. But I was trying to get something done on the computer before Leah woke up, so I thought, “oh well, I’ll just let her do it for a few minutes. It’s not that big of a deal.” About 10 minutes later, I realized I hadn’t heard even a peep coming from the kitchen. So I went to go check on Annie. She wasn’t there. But I did discover a bag of potatoes on the kitchen floor. Bingo! Her favorite hiding spot is an empty cupboard (except for a bag of potatoes) that she fits perfectly into. So, playing along, I called out, “Where’s Annie?” and quietly crept towards the kitchen cupboard. But upon opening it, instead of the silly screams I was expecting to get, I found this:



She had fallen completely asleep! Poor girl!