Yummo Potato!

So I grew up in a meat and potato type of family. I always enjoyed the way my mom made her mashed potato--smooth, but still having some little lumps of goodness. I'm not a gravy fan, so I like to doctor up my potatoes when I make them. I don't even peel my potatoes (don't tell mom), besides taking less prep time, you get a little more nutrition out of them. My favorite potato to use are the small red potato, not as starchy or gritty tasting.

I usually dice them up and boil them until tender.

Then I add some cheese, butter, pepper, ranch dressing and a little salt. I don't like to add too much salt since the cheese, ranch dressing and butter all have salt in them already. I don't tend to measure anything, I just throw it in until I get the texture I like. If I have bacon on hand I throw some of that in too :) They are good, but may not be good for you. Not something that we make everyday, just when we want a good meal like we might get when eating out.

Then I mash it all up.

Nothing beats a good pile of 'tators with some wonderful steak, even left over steak from the night before!

Adventures of Being a Boy

So both of the older boys are playing ball this spring. J had practice the other night and was excited to go. Due to an unfortunate run in with someone else's head which resulted in a black eye, he was not quite as excited to go back to ball last night.

It wasn't so much the pain that he was feeling from the injury, but how he felt he looked. "I look ugly mom!" "I'm not cute anymore!" "I can't go to school, the kids will laugh at me!" So he stayed home and I reassured him that he is handsome and cute, and that the other kids wouldn't even notice. In the big picture of things with daddy being gone on a "trip", I feel ok for keeping him home due to his anxiety, but told him he would go back the next day. He was upset, but I convinced him that his best friend, who happens to be a girl, would miss him. I can't help but wonder how much at his age (6) do appearances really matter? It is after all just a black eye.

**Edited to add that these pics are from less then 24 hours after it happened, today it is much more purple and less puffy. May need to add more pics so you can see how dark it gets, but he is being shy with the camera.**

Fun Being 2!

So I warned you yesterday that this little guy has been having fun with being two. He is super cute....

Evidence A

However, he is also full of energy and also full of ideas about how things work...

Evidence B

Yes that is a diaper in the toilet...I took laundry upstairs and he found me with no diaper saying it was dirty and that he pee'd on the chair. This is what I found...I will be so happy once I am done with potty training! The worst part is I was so busy with stuff I really didn't know he had put it in toilet, he said he had thrown it away, until bedtime. Talk about super absorbent (:

Evidence B

Yogurt is for playing with and not to eat in his world...how what fun to be 2 again.

Evidence C

Diesel doesn't know what to think about it, well actually he is probably thinking how tasty it is going to be to "clean up" the mess the little guy makes. He is probably thinking it's worth being used as a step stool, chased around the house and being woke up with a big hug as long as he is willing to share all that yummy food.

I think the way my house looks like lately is a true testament on how busy this little guy is, seriously enter at your own risk. Watch where you step and don't dare come over without giving me an hour notice...just kidding...only a little (:

Birthday Aftermath

If you have been following you know that our oldest just celebrated his 8th Birthday. We had a low key regular day and just sprinkled in some presents between school and baseball practice.

Birthday boy just biting at the bit to tear open his pile of presents.

Our boys love those cards that have music/noise with them, this one also had a monkey that popped out.

That DS has been in his hands for the past couple of days non-stop. Threats have been made that he may have it taken away, but I know how hard it is to concentrate on homework, chores, and sleeping when you have a new gizmo to test out...I think he inherited that gene from someone.

More Clone troopers...seriously addicted to Star Wars. If the DS is in a timeout he has these guys in his hands.

Thanks Daddy for sending something extra, he was so excited to know you were thinking of him.

So tomorrow there will be a post about this guy:

He has been up to some crazy antics and adventures for such a little guy. One story may or may not involve a diaper that ended up in the toilet...

Birthday Boy in the House! Part 2!

So my boy turns 8 today....I have 8 years of picture cuteness to show...this is day two...catch the post from yesterday to see never before seen pictures on this blog. Can you believe he is 8! So sit back and scroll through a couple...not really a couple you might as well block off an hour to look at all these pictures (:

Most of these are more recent and may have been posted on here before, but I came across a folder on our hard drive that also held some great peeks at the past. Looking back I can't believe how many places and adventures he has had at his young age of 8, and some I don't even have documentation of due to camera problems...no pics of his first Halloween, New Orleans, or visiting Mount Rushmore to name a few. Makes the ones we do have all the more important in my book...I have nightmares of losing all our pictures that are on our hard drive...serious scary nightmares! Anyway, hope you have your hour carved out to help us celebrate the birth of our first born....I promise not to do 31 years of me or my hubby in the upcoming months...did I really just tell you my upcoming age...eek!

Happy Birthday big boy! Can't wait to see how you grow and change this year...but you will always be my baby!