OVER LOAD

So I don't mean to over load everyone with all that we have been doing but I'm going to! We have been busy and I haven't had much time for blogging until today. I wanted to show some fun pictures that I took of the kids to show some of what we have been doing. So here is a warning to you all that there are lots of pictures!

Eli's Preschool

I had heard last year about a few ladies from my ward and other wards that were getting together twice a week to do preschool for their kids. When I heard about what they did and could see that some of the kids were really loving it I knew it was something I wanted Eli to do. So of course when I was told that some of the ladies were doing it again I jumped at the chance to join in. I was a little worried at first because he is the only one that is 3 the rest are 4 and 5 years old. But so far so good! We have had preschool every week on Tuesday and Thursday and the ladies and I just rotate who teaches. What is really great is Eli will ask me every day if it is time for school. He absolutely loves it! So here are a few pictures of some of the fun things that he has been learning about.

He learned about families and made marshmallow people for how many were in his family. The best part though was when he came home I asked him who each marshmallow was and the two in the middle are him and Mckenna. The other two though are a guy with one shoe, he is on the left and the one with a toothpick in his head is a, "shooter guy." I don't know where he got it but it sure did make me laugh!


On another day they learned about houses. This is an igloo that he made with sugar cubes and frosting. When I walked in the door to pick him up from school I saw some of the other kids igloos and they of course looked like square houses and all the kids did a great job. So I kept looking for Eli's and then his teacher brought it out and I just couldn't help but smile! He told me that it was a tower igloo and I love it!


Just a few weeks ago this is some of the stuff he did. They made a Halloween house and a fall crown. He is holding a pig in his had but you really can't see it very well. It is a apple pig. It has cinnamon for eyes and gum drops for legs and a nose.


This picture is a when I had school here at my house. I drew around the kids and then we talked about our bones and some of their organs. I had the kids paste the bones and organs on themselves.

There is so much more that he has done. The first day of school they made pretzels in the letter of their first and last initials. On another day they learned about dinosaurs and then they made their very own dinosaur landscape from a shoe box. He colored the background and then his teacher gave them some fake grass and rocks to put inside. She also gave Eli a little triceratops that he plays with all the time. So all in all this has been a great experience for both Eli and I.

Snow Day

Since I have lived in Wyoming for most of my life you would think by now I would be used to the weather! I'm NOT! At the end of September this is what we got...

My poor flowers!

The next day it was still snowing and the kids wanted to go out and play.

Mckenna looks like a purple umpa lumpa!

What's for Dinner!

This is...

Doesn't this look great! Really all I can take credit for though is the potatoes. Keith grilled this beauty of a pork chop. I highly recommend this recipe if you ever are going to grill pork chops. Its not to hard to do but turns out really good!

Rub

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp light brown sugar

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp granulated garlic

1/2 tsp granulated onion

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/8 tsp ground cloves

Pinch ground cayenne pepper

Lightly coat the pork on both sides with oil. Season with the rub , pressing the spices into the meat. Let the pork sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before grilling. Serve with favorite barbecue sauce.

Sour Cream Scalloped potatoes

8-10 potatoes, peeled, diced into cubes, and cooked until soft

2 cups sour cream

1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 cup French-fried onions

In a bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Pour into an ungreased 9x13 inch baking dish. Bake uncovered, at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Sprinkle with French-fried onions and return to the over for 10 minutes more.

NEXT...

I love, love, love RANCH! I eat it with my salad, my french fries, and now on my burger. When I saw that this burger had ranch in it I had to try it and if you love ranch as much as I do then you should try it too!

Ranch Burgers

2 pounds lean ground beef

2 (1 oz) packages ranch dressing mix

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/4 cup crushed saltine crackers

1 very small onion or 1/2 of a big onion, chopped

cooked bacon

In a bowl, mix together the ground beef, ranch dressing mix, egg, crushed crackers and onion. Form into hamburger patties. Grill just the way you like it!



Pasta courtesy of my sister Jaime.

Jaime's Pasta Salad

1 bag curly colored pasta, cooked

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1/2 red onion, chopped

1 cup green olives, cut in half

1 small bottle of Paul Newman's Balsamic Vinaigrette

sprinkle ground oregano, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning to taste

Mix all ingredients together and ENJOY!