Toddler Playtime (video)

It's been so fun to watch Austin learn to use his imagination and become more independent. He will wander down to the basement and play alone for 30-60 minutes at a time. We get together with friends regularly and he is getting much better at sharing and interacting with them in the way a friend should!

Today we watched Lillie (3 months younger than Austin) for a couple hours. These two seem to either play really well together, or they both end up upset and crying. I've discovered that the more I just let them be, the better they play. While they played I did dishes and laundry. I'd check on them periodically and I just had to pull out the camera when I saw them reading stories together. What cute kids! 
(Sorry for the poor videography at the beginning... I was hiding behind a wall so they wouldn't see me. The candidness goes down the drain once a camera is spotted!)

http://youtu.be/pFQB3kT3ry8

(I can't upload any of my videos directly to the blog anymore... not sure why.  So, check out the YouTube link instead)

Recipes 9 & 10

I have no idea how many weeks behind I am now... oh well.

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos (from Our Best Bites)

I have many friends who own this cookbook and swear (not literally) by this taquito recipe.  I never buy the frozen taquitos, even though they're tasty...  This is a much healthier version of a more hearty and tastier taquito.  We were supposed to have the missionaries over for dinner last night, so I thought I'd try this out on them.  Turns out, one of them was sick so our family enjoyed almost an entire cookie-sheets worth of these puppies on our own.  We will definitely be making them again.  (I also made the cilantro-lime dressing to use as a dipping sauce, as recommended in the recipe).

Salsa Chicken (Crockpot)

This is a simple and quick throw-it-in-the-crockpot chicken.  It's not the best chicken for eating as a main dish, but it is awesome for use in the above-described taquitos, soups, tacos, etc.

Christmas 2011

I know my posts are all out of order, but at least they are getting done.

This Christmas we were blessed to have Jeff's parents and brother come stay with us for almost two weeks!  It was fun to have them stay in our new house and was SO much more comfortable than when they've stayed with us in past apartments.  We did lots of cooking, played some games, watched movies, shopped and lounged around!  Austin enjoyed having someone's full attention at all times.  Every few days he will tell us that he misses Grandma, Grandpa and Michael.

 Austin likes being just like Grandpa

Austin and Gpa with their shape-sorter 'helmets'.

"Hut, hut... Hey!"

On Christmas Eve we hosted a dinner/housewarming party for my family.  Unfortunately I did not get a picture of the entire crowd, but it's hard to get 26 people in one place!  We had a ton of fun.  Thanks to everone who helped prepare the soups and who brought snacks and appetizers to go with!

 Cousin Madi, and I

 Gpa & Gma Woodis... and Max hiding

 Austin and Jaxon

 Kelsey and Cameron creating a masterpiece

The most people in one shot that I captured.
What a fun get-together!

Recipe #8: Corn and Cheddar Chowder

Made this tonight and it was quite tasty - not too rich, not too plain.

http://mcmitchells.blogspot.com/2012/03/corn-and-cheddar-chowder.html