Bonefish Grill

So... I have a new favorite restaurant!! If you like seafood... this is the place! We were sent a coupon in the mail for a free meal with the purchase of another entree. How could we pass that up?? First we ordered Diablo Shrimp Fettuccine - Shrimp with tomatoes, capers, onions, green chilies and spinach fettuccine in a seasoned garlic cream sauce. We also ordered a special - The Icelandic Duo - rockfish paired with char. The rockfish was stuffed with crab and the char was battered in a tempura type batter with a sweet oriental sauce drizzled on top. It was delicious!! The flavors were wonderful. Even the seasonal vegetable (roasted fresh corn) and the garlic whipped potatoes were great!
Prices for dinners range between about $13 - $23. With our coupon, our bill was just over $20.... and that included tax and the tip! Normally it would have been around $35.
Look around.... if you didn't throw away that coupon - it expires tomorrow!! (7/31)

Tears and Whispers

When I found out I was pregnant the last time, John and I both knew it was a girl long before the ultrasound. Before we were even sure we could handle a 6th child, I dreamed about her.... just waiting.... Everyone thought we would want a boy to make our family even, but that was never the case. For my last child, I had envisioned a sweet little angel girl that I could hold and cuddle for hours, softly stroking her soft blond hair.

I did not get what I ordered.

Sophia Rose has definitely been the busiest child we have ever had. The word "cuddle" has never been in her vocabulary. Even as a small baby she was extremely difficult to nurse because she would toss and turn and flip herself over. She is in to everything and is everywhere at once. She can climb anything. Unless she is sleeping she is running, jumping, climbing.... or creating a disaster somewhere. More than one set of expectant parents has watched our little Sophie with terror in their eyes.

Having 5 other children, I really thought I had seen it all. Boy was I wrong!! We had to add more flip locks, cabinet locks, door locks, toilet latches, etc. when Sophie started to crawl. She has had a fractured skull, has gotten into my sisters heart pills and drank children's Advil like candy (which was on the 2nd to top shelf of our cabinet in the kitchen!) I had to remove the handles from my bathtub because she would sneak into our master bathroom, jump in the tub fully dressed and turn the water on.... from the moment she started to walk!

She is very stubborn and is hard to distract. If there is something she wants, she will throw a fit until she gets it. If she sees anyone with a soda, she will refuse all other beverages.... milk, juice, etc. (OK... totally my fault...) She loves bananas and eats one every morning. If we happen to be out ... oh boy! The world as she knows it will end.

We used to travel more. We took Katie when she was exactly Sophie's age now along with Rachel who was 11 months to Hawaii (from Boston even!) They were perfect.... even on the 10 hour flight from Newark to Oahu. (Which came after the flight from Boston to Newark and before the flight from Oahu to Maui.) I think I would have to be forced at gun point to try that trip with Sophie. I would take ALL 5 other kids before I would take just her.

Remember the family that got kicked off the Southwest Airlines plane?

BUT ... in the wake of last weeks tragedy... I am trying to not complain so much, trying to love her because of who she is instead of loving her in spite of how she is. I hold her a little closer, a little tighter. I want to enjoy her outgoing, fearless personality instead of fear it. She has just recently started to allow me to hold her and cuddle her and I have never felt so lucky. I can't imagine what my life would be without her. I look at her cute little face with the dimples in her cheeks and that fiery light in her eye.... and feel overwhelming love.

Every morning around 5 am, Sophie climbs out of her crib, toddles in with her teddybear in hand and climbs into bed with us. The last few days I have held her as close as I possibly can and with tears in my eyes, I whisper words of thanks for this happy, energetic, courageous littel girl.

Our hearts and prayers are with the Larson family. There is not a moment that goes by that we are not thinking of you with the loss of your darling 2 year old little Kamber. I just hope that the love and support of your amazing family, friends and community will help you get through this terrible time.

Midweek Recipe

Summer Mustard Spareribs

4 1/2 pounds fresh pork spareribs, cut into serving pieces

1/2 c. Molasses

1/3 c. Dijon mustard

1/3 c. cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 325. Place spareribs, meaty side up, on rack in a shallw roasting pan. Roast uncovered for 1 hour.

Combine molasses and mustard. Mix well. Stir in vinegar. Brush spareibs with mustard sauce. Roast ribs an additional 45 minutes, turning and brushing with mustard sauce frequently.

Easy and Yummy!!

The "BEE" Club

A few years ago Katie was stung by a bee. She was on top of a house boat at Lake Powell, running her hand along a rail, when she must have ran her hand right over a bee. John was trying to soothe her tears and told her she was now officially a member of the BEE club. He named off all the people in our extended family that had been stung by bees and were therefore members of this club. It didn't take the pain away but it definitely took her mind off of it!

Last summer, Olivia became a member while jumping in the pool. She hit a bee mid flight and somehow got stung on the rump. All the kids immediately piped in..."Olivia!! Now your a member of the BEE club!"

Well, on our latest vacation to Southern Cal, we welcomed a new member to our special club. We also re-welcomed an existing member. The existing member was me! I was last stung at the age of about 10. While turning on the hose in the yard to play in the sprinklers I sat on a bee! This time, as we were walking down the beach, I stepped right on one!

The very next day we welcomed our newest, and youngest, member. We were just packing up all of our beach toys, chairs, boogie board, etc when little Sophie started to wail. She had tried to pick one up off of the sand and it stung her right on the tip of her thumb! Poor BABY!!

Now our little Sophie is officially a member of the BEE club too. Needless to say the rest of the kids are in no hurry to join!!

MORE Beach Pictures... I added a few more...

Bestest Beach BUDS

SURFER crew

Sophie ready to go back to the beach.... snacks and sipper in hand!

Snack time...

Master castle builder ADAM!

Looking for sand crabs....

Found some!! YUCK! (YOU have GOT to click on this....)

Surfer Girl!

Go MOM Go!

Gotta Luv Southern Cal

Lazy mornings... All day on the beach..... Boogy boarding (mom too!).... Late afternoons in the jacuzzi..... Dinner at the local surfer hang-outs..... Shopping in the evenings....

FUN TIMES!!!

Go Rachel Go!

A good way to keep your kids safe at the beach...

Surfer Pizza and the BEST home brewed rootbeer!! (Pizza Port in San Clemente)

We LOVE San Clemente, CA!!!

My Very Own "Made-up" Recipe

Last night I decided to make stuffed french toast. It soaks overnight so it is easy for Sunday morning breakfast. I have a recipe from the Best of the Best California Cookbook that we all really like. It is made with blackberries and cream cheese. Late last night, I wasn't up to going to the store so I decided to make do with what I had on hand and change the recipe accordingly. It worked!! This is what I came up with:

Peaches and Cream French Toast (catchy...huh!?)

1 loaf french bread
1 jar home canned peaches (I used the ones I canned in the fall from Utah...yum!)
10 eggs
1/3 cup peach syrup from jar
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup milk
ground cinnamon

Cut the french bread into cubes. Butter a 9 x 13 pan. Spread half of the bread cubes over bottom of the pan. Thinly slice peaches and layer evenly over bread cubes. I used my whole jar. Place remaining bread cubes over top.
Beat eggs, syrup, cream and milk together well. Pour over bread. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon. Lightly grease tin foil and cover. Press down on the foil to make sure all the bread is soaked. Refrigerate overnight.
In the morning, preheat oven to 350. Remove foil and replace with new foil. Make sure it isn't touching the cubes. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake another 30 minutes until center is set and top is lightly browned. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.
Serve with butter, maple syrup and powdered syrup. ENJOY!

Your Favorite Part of the Day

Today over lunch, Adam asked the family what their favorite part of the day was. There were lots of various responses, but Eric's made us all laugh....he said,"the birthDAY part!!!"

Front Flips and Erika!!

OK... I did it!! .... I can now officially do a half decent front flip off of the diving board! Erika tried to get me to do it last week before she left but I was too chicken. But no more!! As of Monday I was doing front flips, hand stand twists, cartwheels, etc. off of our friend's diving board. (We, unfortunately, didn't put in a diving board with our pool....)

It is SO fun!! I now have as much fun in the pool as the kids! (kinda scarey....:)...)

THANKS ERIKA!!!

Midweek Recipe!!

P. F. Chang's China Bistro Shrimp Fried Rice

1/4 teaspoon ground superfine mustard

1/4 teaspoon minced ginger

1/2 teaspoon minced or crushed garlic

1 teaspoon molasses

1 1/2 tablespoons lite soy sauce (more added at table as desired)

1 egg

salt and pepper to taste (optional)

4 teaspoons oil

1 1/2 cups tail-off cooked large shrimp from frozen

3/4 cup petite green peas, frozen (or bean sprouts)

3/4 cup baby carrots, cut into matchstick or thin strips

2 cups steamed rice

2 to 3 green onions, chopped (use only white part orwhite plus some of the green if desired)

In a small bowl or cup, blend mustard, ginger, garlic and molasses. Stir in soy sauce and set aside.

Heat a large, nonstick frying pan or skillet over medium heat. Add oil. Pour egg in the middle of pan and tilt to spread egg out. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the top if desired. Once the underside is lightly browned, flip egg over and cook about a minute longer or until bottom is lightly browned. Cut into small pieces with knife and set aside.

Add more oil into pan and heat over medium heat. Add shrimp and let sizzle for about a minute. Add peas and carrots and stir-fry, tossing occasionally, for about 2 minutes or until shrimp is warmed throughout. Add steamed rice, stir and let cook about a minute. Drizzle the soy-sauce mixture over the top of rice mixture, stir, and let cook another minute or two. Turn off heat and stir in green onion and pieces of egg. Serve, offering additional soy sauce at the table, if desired.

I made this for my family tonight for dinner.... and they LOVED it!! I would recommend you double the recipe. (I tripled it and have lefovers) I also liked it with a little more soy sauce.

ENJOY!

Pillars of Human Happiness

"Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens. The mere politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connections with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked, Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths which are the instruments of investigation in courts of justice? And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle."

excerpt from George Washington's Farewell Address 1796

America's Godly Heritage

Early on July 4th I finished reading "The Freedom Factor" by Gerald Lund. A fictional book contemplating the would-be state of our Great Nation if the Constitution had never been ratified. It was very thought provoking. Quite the book to be reading on the 4th of July.

It really motivated and inspired me to teach my children more about the history of our country. Our family had the amazing opportunity to live in Boston for 4 years and to visit many of the historical sites. Unfortunately, our children were quite young and I am not sure how much they really remember. On this Independence Day we decided to browse the instant viewing section of Netflix. I came across a documentary entitled, "America's Godly Heritage"

"America's Godly Heritage clearly sets forth the beliefs of many famous Founding Fathers concerning the proper role of Christian principles in education, government, and the public affairs of the nation. The beliefs of Founders such as Patrick Henry, John Quincy Adams, John Jay, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and many others are clearly presented. It also provides excerpts from court cases showing that for 160 years under the Constitution, Christian principles were officially and legally inseparable from American public life."

This documentary talks a lot about the separation of church and state. Did you know that this is stated NO WHERE in the Constitution or the 1st Amendment? The popular phrase "Separation of Church and State" was merely an excerpt from a letter from Thomas Jefferson to the Danbury Baptists (and not even word for word) ... and taken quite out of context from its intended meaning.

The 1st Amendment states "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

"Respecting an establishment of religion" means that the founding fathers wanted to prohibit the establishment of a national religion (like the Church of England) by the Congress or the preference of one religion over another.

"Prohibiting the free exercise thereof" means the founding fathers wanted us to be able to freely choose our own religous beliefs.... without the government telling us what to believe.

NO WHERE does it say we should take religion out of all government and educational institutions..... a complete separation of church and state. I think most of the founding fathers would be disgusted on how the words they wrote intending to make this nation great, have been twisted and misused.... bringing our nation down.... down .... down....

I highly recommend you watch the video.

A Good Friend

Thank you to my dear friend April...... who has been so awesome to let me borrow her digital camera! (Sophie threw mine in the toilet....and my sister moved away and took her camera with her!) Tonight I used hers to take lots of pictures of my family at the Rainforest Cafe!

(blog entry coming soon....)

THANK YOU!!!!

I guess its time to buy my own again!!

A Little Mommy Time

A few nights ago it was almost 5 o'clock, already past time to start dinner..... and my 6 year old, Livy, asks "Mommy....Can I brush your hair?" I look at the kitchen and then look back at her, brush in hand. "Sure baby.... That would be fun!"

That night, John came home from the office and I hadn't even started dinner. I had spent the better part of an hour letting Olivia and even little Sophie brush, braid and "fix" my hair. As I sat there with Olivia brushing away and Sophie curled in my lap, I got the strongest feeling of contentment. A feeling of joy and happiness. THIS is why I wanted to be a mommy.

Why is it then that I'm not very good at making the right decision in these incidences. There is always so much work to do! But no matter how nice of a dinner I make, how much laundry I get done, how clean the house .... none of those things ever make me feel like I do in those special "mommy moments".

(side note.... After I apologized for not making any dinner, John told me that it warms his heart to see me playing there with the kids.... and that is where I should be! (We had Chinese take-out))