a recipe for you

I know I still need to post all my pictures from Christmas, but food is on my mind instead! I keep telling people about these yummy lettuce wraps and so I thought I would post the recipe. I got this from my friend, Stacie's blog. She got them from our friend, Gretchen. They really are super yummy, easy and quick!

Lettuce Wraps
From: Gretchen Worrell

1 pound ground turkey meat
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 package of sliced mushrooms
4 green onions minced
1/2 cup frozen sweet peas
1/2 cup Lawry's sesame ginger 30-minute marinade
12 iceberg lettuce leaves

Cook turkey in a nonstick skillet over medium high heat, stirring until it crumbles and is no longer pink; drain in colander and then set aside.Next, add oil to pan and place over medium high heat until hot. Add mushrooms and onions. Stir fry 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in peas, half cup marinade, and cooked turkey. Cook until heated.Spoon into lettuce leaves, you can add more sauce if you like. Fold the leaves and dip in marinade. Yummy!!

**You can add 1 can Bamboo Shoots, drained and minced and 1 can water chestnuts, minced. Stir fry them with the mushrooms and onions.**

visiting Santa

I fully prepared myself for both boys to completely lose it during the Santa picture this year. I had already decided in my head that it was just going to be a bad picture, but knew we would all laugh about it later. Well, to my complete amazement I was wrong. Cade walked right up to Santa all by himself! I am so glad Matt had the camera ready because I turned my back to get Reid. I love the pictures Matt took. Cade told Santa that he wanted cake for Christmas. He knows that Christmas is Jesus birthday, so all he wants is cake! Santa seemed a little confused until I explained. The picture with both boys is not the greatest. They both look like they are in shock, but I am just impressed they weren't screaming!

Reid's 10 months old!

Reid turned 10 months old on the 22nd. My little baby isn't so little anymore. He is getting so active and always wants to do what his older brother is. Forget those baby toys, he is just as happy playing with whatever Cade is playing with. Reid is pulling up on everything and is even letting go and standing on his own for a few seconds. Reid also tries to crawl on everything. He even crawled all the way up my parents stairs (I was right behind him) all by himself! Reid has decided that baby food just really isn't for him. He wants to chew food, but we haven't really found anything he successfully eats other than Cheerios, yogurt melts and puffs. I just don't think that covers all those food groups! Hopefully he will get a few more teeth soon, surely that will help him be able to eat more. One of the new things that Reid is doing is that "I don't know/hold me" move with his hands. It is too cute. I absolutely love that little guy. Just hard to believe he's 10 months old!

what was I thinking?

Matt has been begging me to trim Reid's hair. It really has gotten long in the front and people keep saying he's a girl. I finally gave in and decided to do a little trimming tonight.

Before:

After:
Isn't it amazing how just a few hairs can make such a difference? I only trimmed the front, over the ears and the little tail he was getting in the back. I am just sick to my stomach, he just doesn't look like a little baby anymore. I know he's 9 months and well, he isn't really a little baby anymore, but now he really looks like a big boy! I want to glue the hair back on.

last day of MDO

Thursday was our last day of MDO for the semester. Cade's class sang a few Christmas carols and then decorated sugar cookies. During the songs Cade was very into all the motions. I videoed the whole thing and might try and put a song on here later.

singing away in a manger

"the little Lord Jesus lay down his sweet head"

ringing the bells during Jingle Bells. I do have to say, though that he pretty much shook his right hand the whole time....not the left with the bells in it! I think he was just trying to copy his teacher!

this was kinds kind of craft. He didn't have to get his hands messy!

Cade liked putting sprinkles on, can you tell?

Cade LOVES wearing his sunglasses. We accidentally forgot his at home that day, so mine did the trick. Of course Bubba has to go with us to school, too!

After school we went to my mom and dad's house so the boys could put their ornaments on the tree.

Reid loves sunglasses, too!

Reid is standing everywhere these days. Actually yesterday and today he has started letting go and stands on his own for a second before falling down!

LOVE this picture!

Mimi got Cade a Thomas the train ornament this year

I had to put this here just so you could see all the stockings. There are 13 now and as soon as Mimi finishes Reid's there will be 14 stockings in all!!!

SNOW!

Here are a few pictures from today's snow! This is when it first started. I got so excited that I'm pretty sure I scared Cade. He didn't know what to think. He went out for a few minutes, but that was enough. I took them inside and gave them nice warm baths afterwards. I don't know about them, but I would have liked that!

So it's hard to see the snow in the pictures, but people it's Houston. Yesterday it was in the 70's and then snow today. Tomorrow it will be warmer and everyone will have a cold. I know it wasn't much of a snow but it sure did make my day better and I REALLY needed that today.

Christmas in Dallas

We went to Frisco this past weekend to have our Christmas celebration with Matt's family.

On our way into town we stopped to have lunch with a friend from college, Sara and her 2 boys. Cade and Carson had a good time together. I was thankful that the restaurant was pretty empty when we were done because it gave the kiddos a chance to move around a little bit. Carson decided to wear Sara's pretty gold jacket. Don't you think it looks great!?

On Saturday Matt's dad and his wife, Mary Beth, came in town to have lunch, spend some time with the grand kids and to watch the kids basketball games. We had a nice lunch at McAlisters and then went over to the church to a little play area to open gifts and play before the games. It was great visiting and Cade had a blast on the slide.

Matt and Zach at McAlisters

Cade and Zach in the play area at the church. Cade had SO much fun playing with his cousins this past weekend.

Cade was very excited about his tractorI love this picture of Avery, Zachary and Cade

Reid always smiled for Warren (aka "Uncle"....Uncle Warren is just too much to say for Cade, so he shortened it)

Avery excited about her new Hannah Montana game

Cade also got a bus!! You know that's always a good thing!

As you can see Reid is really getting around. He tries to crawl up anything.....

I guess this is the new GQ pose???

Warren, Cade, Mary Beth and Reid. I think Cade thought he was supposed to put his guns up...Go Tech!

We were excited to see Zachary and Avery's first basketball game. Matt and I used to go to their soccer games once or twice and year and we have really missed watching them play sports. Zachary and Avery both are very talented. I am always impressed to hear the latest in how well they are doing in school and in their extra curricular activities.

Zac is in the white shirt and green shorts

Avery is on the right of the picture

Reid was so excited that he fell asleep on Warren....

I loved being able to see trees with so many different colored leaves. This street is near Warren and Angela's house and we got to drive down it several times each day. It was so pretty.

My little cutie

We exchanged gifts with Zachary and Avery on Sunday before we left. Reid is very curious about his new toy!

watch out Tiger Woods..........

Avery was excited to get some PJ's for her American Girl doll, Mia

Zac is a huge Mavericks fan so we got him a Mavs watch.

We were sad to leave Dallas. We always have a fun time with everyone and it seems that this year was no exception. Cade misses Zachary and Avery already!

On our way out of town we stopped to have lunch with Matt's Aunt Ethel and Uncle Jerry. Ethel is Matt's moms sister. We loved catching up with them. I hate that we don't see them more often. It was also exciting to hear stories and such about Matt's mom, Jean. I wish I knew more about her so I could tell my boys about her, but I know that Matt will do a great job of that. Ethel did tell me quite a few things that I never knew and even has been sending me some pictures of Jean when she was younger. I am so thankful for that....

Here is one of the pictures I got from Ethel. Matt's mom is on the right. I just love old pictures like this. I can't wait to print one and frame it.

Cade decided to sit for a picture after lunch.....

Jerry, Cade, Ethel and Reid

catching up

I know, it's been way too long. I have added quite a few pictures from the last few weeks. If you scroll to the bottom of this post you will see them in order. Check back soon, I have even more pictures from our trip to Dallas this past weekend!


Another Chick-fil-A family night. They have 2 cows which Cade thought was great. He would look for the big cow and the little cow. It was also pajama night. Cade thought he was pretty special for being able to wear his PJ's out. He still looks at those pajamas and says "chick-fil-a" every time they are in his drawer.

Cade had to get on his knees just like the cow!
I thought Cade would be a bit more scared of the cow, but he loves those Chick-fil-A cows!

Cade got to decorate a cookie after he ate. He was a bit apprehensive until he saw that he only had to hold the bottle. He sure can't have dirty hands! :)

showing off his masterpiece. Nice face, huh!

*********************************

Tiffany came in town for Thanksgiving. Before Tosha and Bobby headed to Denver we were able to have dinner at Pappasitos. Everyone was there, except for Tessa (she was backpacking in the Grand Canyon) and Taleigh (spending Thanksgiving with her boyfriend's parents).

We were waiting to leave and the boys were trying to play with Copper through the window

Tosha, Zach and Grandma

Tiffany and Reid. They always take such good pictures together!

Tiffany and Madison. Don't you think that Madison's new glasses are super cute??

Mom and TJ

******************************************

We went to Santa Fe Flats one night to hear Nate Gordon play. The weather was GORGEOUS and sitting out on the patio for dinner was so nice. Cade loves to listen to Mr. Nate. Every time he sees a guitar he says, "Nate!" Needless to say, Cade was pretty much perfect that night at dinner!


My parents, TJ and Tosha and Bobby were there also. My mom had fun hanging with the boys! That's Zach and Reid.

*************************************

One of the Chick-fil-A's near us had Bob and Larry from the Veggie Tales! We didn't tell Cade and when they came out he was SO excited!

Cade was in awe!

***************************************

Cade's Thanksgiving feast at Mom's Day Out

No, he's not asleep or praying....he said the roll was hot and decided he needed to blow on it to cool it down!

Cade showing off his tee pee that he made

***************************************************

We got to help Payton Meers celebrate her 2nd birthday in November. They had a bounce house in the backyard and the kids (and adults) jumped until after dark! They even took their flashlights out there so they could see!

the birthday girl, Payton

Reid was a happy observer

Cade thought that Bubba needed to go out for a spin in the Barbie jeep

Payton loved her new jumpoline that she got.

********************************************

Matt and Reid sporting their matching shirts one Sunday after church

****************************************

Here are my boys cheering on Tech when we beat Texas. Cade didn't want to wear the crab hat (for Michael Crabtree, of course) so Matt wore it for him.