One Down!

Chandler has FINALLY lost his 1st tooth! He is 7 yrs. and 7 mo. old and we were starting to think he was going to be the only 1st grader with all his baby teeth. With only 2 days left of school he is so excited to announce the big news to his class! Congratulations "Chan The Man"!

Freakin' CUTE!

Eli Hutcheson Wills - 9 months old

I HATE markers!

My sister-in-law posted something on her blog about her kids drawing on their faces with markers! It was hilarious! I just recently threw out all the markers we had because Sierra kept thinking of things to color that weren't approved by me. About a week ago, she decided to trace her feet onto paper with a bright red marker, however she didn't think to take off her white sandals and marker got all over the place..... paper, fingers, shoes, CARPET!!! and a little on the face! Needless to say, I hunted down every last maker in the house and threw them away. My kids will just have to find a way to be creative with crayons and colored pencils :)

Life needs more banana's :)

I just recently learned about the benefits of eating banana's and to tell you the truth....... I was stunned! If you don't eat banana's you might want to start :) Enjoy

Containing three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose - combined with fiber, a banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.

Research has proved that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions making it a must to add to your daily diet.


Anemia
High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure
This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt making it the perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power
200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation
High in fibre, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Depression
According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain trypotophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

Lethargy
One of the quickest ways of curing lethargy and fatigue is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey.
The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heart-burn
Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body so if you suffer from heart-burn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness
Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites
Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves
Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Weight Control
Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and crisps. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs.
The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

PMS
Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Ulcers
The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chroniculcer cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control
Many other cultures see bananas as a 'cooling' fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand, for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer, trypotophan.

Smoking
Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress
Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water-balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, there by reducing our potassium levels. These can be re-balanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes
According to research in 'The New England Journal of Medicine' eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

Warts
Those keen on natural alternatives swear that, if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart,with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

So you see a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around.

The Look

We arrived at the "Design Center" at 2:00 and left at 5:15 today and let's just say it was a fun, yet stressful three hours coming up with the RIGHT look. David and I are no interior designers, but I think we came up with colors, and a look in the home that we will be pleased with. The first picture is of our laminate flooring, then the carpet color (burnt sugar), the look and color of our cabinets, and then our laminate counter tops. We decided to go with stainless steel appliances, but went basic with lighting and door fixtures (brushed nickel). More to come :)

Boston Cream Cake

Butter a 9 x 13 inch pan

Pudding:
2 - 3oz French Vanilla Instant Pudding
3 1/2 cups cold milk
8 oz Cool Whip

Beat together two minutes or until thick.

Chocolate Icing:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3 Tbl. milk
4 Tbl. cocoa
3 Tbl. vegetable oil
dash of salt

Layer:
Graham Crackers (do not crush, use whole pieces)
1/2 the Pudding
Graham Crackers
Rest of Pudding
Graham Crackers
Chocolate Icing

Let chill for 4 hours before serving.

We're building again!

David and I found this development going up in Saratoga Springs and we ended up finding something that would fit our family really well and our budget too! It's a corner lot that is approximatley .18 acres. We will be building a rambler style home with an unfinished basement (David's favorite). The process will take about 5 months and we should be in by the end of October. You can see in the distance of this first picture the lake. Our front porch will allow us to have a view of it.

You can see in this second picture that I am standing on the sidewalk of our property line and Sierra is standing to the right at where our property ends. This is the view of where the front of the house will be.
We are excited to start the process of building, but know it will be a stressful time. We will keep you updated on the whole event!

Good Mother's Day!

I had a great Mother's Day! I got lots of great stuff and I received my first ever coupon book made by Chandler and Sierra. David and the kids cleaned the house and made me feel extra special! I cannot imagine NOT being a mother. It is the best job in the world! Love you Chandler, Sierra & Eli :)

Recipe of the Week:

Thought I would try and post a yummy recipe every week. If you end up trying it, let me know how it goes :)

Cream Cheese Chicken (Crock Pot Recipe)

1 8oz block cream cheese - cut into cubes
1 Zesty Italian Seasoning Packet (in salad dressing isle)
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1/2 cup chicken broth
3-4 large frozen chicken breasts

Put all ingredients into crock pot and let cook for 5 hours on high. Remove chicken from crock pot and shred. Put back into the crock pot and add more chicken broth if too thick. Serve over rice or egg noodles.

Cameron is 18!!!!

 

Happy Birthday Cameron! I can't believe your an adult:) Hope you have a great day and know that I am thinking about you! Love you bud!

Senior Ball @ Sundance 2008

 

Cameron & Molly

Congrats to Alex & Megan!

 

At the Marriot Center. Closest to farthest - Cameron, Papa, Brett & Brandon

 

Megan & Alex

 

Celebrations at Mom's house!

 

We love you guys and are so proud of what you have accomplished! Good luck with your future endeavours :)

Happy 27th Corinne!!!!!

 

Regretably, I'm a few days late in doing this post, Corinne's birthday being April 29th, but I was thinking of you the whole day and hope your day was extra special! Love you!!

Wahoooo!

 

Last week while driving our Dodge Grand Caravan, David started to hear and smell things that the car was making that did not sound good. So we drove into a Hyandai dealership knowing the only way we could trade in our van was if it was still running and after wheeling and dealing, this is what we drove out with.

It's a 2007 Hyandai Entourage, with all the bells and whistles!

a HUGE surprise!

Last Sunday (April 13th) we surprised Chandler and Sierra with a trip to Disneyland/Beach. We ended up video taping their reactions, however the file was way too big, so I will just have to describe it to you. First they were shocked, because David and I were able to keep a secret for almost two months, but they began freaking out even more when we told them we were leaving the next day (Monday, April 14th), which was the start of "Spring Break".

Since David has been doing so much traveling for work we ended up acquiring enough Delta miles to fly the family to California. At this point Chandler and Sierra cannot contain themselves and are bouncing off the walls. We let them know that we would be going to Disneyland for two days and then go to the beach one day before we had to fly home.

As a parent, seeing the reactions of your kids get excited about something they have been dreaming about for some time was so neat to watch. We asked my youngest brother Cameron to come along and help us out with the kids and be our "Fast Pass" retriever.

After two EXHAUSTING days at Disneyland/California Adventure and then soaking in the sun at the beaches of Oceanside for another day, we were ready to come home. We ended up creating some wonderful memories that I will never forget, and thanks to pictures, my kids will never forget too!

Here are photos from our trip.......Enjoy!