Lucky number 13

This lovely young "wild child" is now a teenager!  She got to spend her birthday bowling and giggling and doing general teenager-ish things with friends.  I sure love this girl!

We bowled at the Wildfire lanes..hence the "Wild"

Funny friends.  I kind of love Ashton's photo bomb appearance

ice cream!

Waffle birthday cake.  Those waffles are actually made from cake mix

Dalin 6.0

Birthday number six!  Dalin is such a fun kid and six is proving to be just as fun.  Here are the favorites:

Food: Watermelon

Show:  Ninjago

Movie:  The Avengers

Color: Green

Thing to do: Flips in the swimming pool

Catchphrase:  "Coulda told me that!"

Dinner at Red Robin.  He really wanted to be sung to.  It was all he could talk about for weeks:)

We had his favorite watermelon "cake" and Chris decided a watermelon eating contest was in order.  I think Ashton finished first, but they were all winners with their watermelon scented boogers;)

End of the year

Kaylee doesn't have an end of the year awards ceremony but she did a lovely job at her spring concert.

When teacher said there was only one student in her class who received all A's for the year his whole class called out "Aiden"

Mrs Brown.  We loved her as a teacher.  She calls Aiden Mr. President and fully expects an invitation to the White House from Aiden some day

Mrs. Ayers.  Dalin said he wants to be a fun teacher like her someday.  Unfortunately I did not get any pictures from his Kindergarten promotion, but he has been promoted

5th Grade Promotion

I'm not sure how it happened but I am soon going to be the mother of two middle-schoolers!  I'm pretty sure it was just last week my girls looked like this (Ashton would never keep her ponytails in:) but I am so proud of the people they are growing up to be.  I'm certainly a lucky mom.

2003

Award winner!  I am thankful every day for children who try their best.  It's wonderful when they are recognized for their efforts!

Ashton & Mr Tinetti

Mustache!

You may remember this post where I introduced you to Dalin's fascination with having his own mustache.  Well let me tell you, he obsessed!  He will mention it at least once a week, usually more.  He thinks he has figured out why he can't grow one.  Here is a conversation that makes me laugh every time I think about it.

Me:  Dalin you need to get a haircut, your hair is out of control.
Dalin:  I can't get a haircut because then my hair will have to concentrate on growing out of my head and it won't have time to grow out of my mustache hole!

Yesterday he mentioned to Chris how rubbing a mustache would help him think.  So Chris asked him if  he could just pretend and rub his upper lip.  "It's just not the same dad!"

As a side note, I don't think his dad or any of his uncles grew any facial hair worth mentioning until at least 18.  He's in for a long wait.

THE HORROR!

When I picked Dalin up from school he had the following tale to tell:

D:  Mom I had the horror today!
Me:  The horror?  What's the horror?
D:  Today Hannah kissed me!
Me:  She kissed you?  Where did she kiss you?
D:  In the hallway.  First she kissed my backpack, then she kissed my cheek!  And if she thinks I'm going to marry her she is going to be crying down to her feet because I am not going to marry her!
Me:  I don't think you have to marry her.  You didn't kiss her.
D:  That's right!  I didn't even want her to kiss me and I definitely didn't kiss her so I will definitely not marry her!

Lettuce Wraps

Sometimes I find recipes that I really like so I put them on my blog so they are easier for me to find.  If you like them too then bonus:)  I adapted this recipe from one I found here.  I serve it with rice or noodles and a side of fruit or veggies and I have a quick healthy dinner (pretty low in points too if you keep track of that kind of thing;).

Ingredients: 

20 ounces ground turkey*
1 small can mushrooms (mushrooms and I are not friends so I leave them out)

1 small can water chestnuts

1 tablespoon of oil
1 teaspoon of minced garlic
2 tablespoons of diced green scallions
Sauce (see below) 

Rice sticks (prepared)
1 teaspoon of sesame oil (optional)


Minced Chicken Sauce:
1/4 cup of mushroom soy sauce ( I only had the low sodium kind it worked fine)
1/4 cup of fish sauce
1/2 tsp of white pepper
1/4 cup of rice vinegar
1 T of sugar

Heat mixture on medium high heat at low boil for about 6 to 8 minutes.
(can cool and refrigerate additional sauce)  

This smelled terrible while it was cooking, and I think the pepper gives it kind of a pepper spray effect, (don't breathe to deeply while it's boiling) but it tasted really good once it was combined with the meat.


Heat oil in a large skillet (I like to use a pastry brush to get an even coat)
Add garlic 5-10 seconds
Add ground turkey and brown

Add mushrooms and water chestnuts (I usually do this part shortly before the turkey is completely cooked)
Add 1/2 (or little more if you want) sauce, stir and incorporate.
Add 2 tbs of diced green scallions
Add 1tps of sesame oil and plate (optional)

*Ground turkey is easier for me but you can use minced chicken for a restaurant effect

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all!  I had a great day thanks to these cute people.  They made me a lovely breakfast and gave me super cute cards.  Aiden's card had a cute poem that ended with "I hope you will like the gift you receive.  Stay right there and don't leave."  He then presented me with a gift certificate for a facial.  He entered an essay contest at school where he wrote about why his mom deserved an hour massage or facial and he was one of two winners for the school! 

Chris and I have this "tradition" when it comes to gifts for me.  He asks me what I want, I tell him I don't need anything.  He tells me to give me a list.  I finally give him a list of a few things I would use, he tells me my requests are unacceptable (he still brings up that I asked for a banana hanger 13 years ago).  He likes big deal gifts.  This year I decided to skip a few steps and I sent him my list three months ago because it was something that had to be ordered online.  I was sure he wouldn't remember from that long ago so I resent the list last week.  Friday night Chris told me that wouldn't work because he wanted me to have something by Mother's Day and if it had to be shipped it wouldn't be there in time.  I will admit I was a little (or a lot) irritated to be shopping for my own mother's day gift that I didn't even need to feel loved on Friday night.  I may have let my exasperation show.  On Saturday Chris had a last minute flash of inspiration and took the kids on an adventure to get it.  Sunday morning when I woke up I came out to find...

 

A BRAND NEW BIKE!  

It's pink and fun but I'm kind of a scaredy cat to ride it.  I go really slow, ride the breaks and yes I walk it down our inclined driveway.  Whatevs, I break my ankle tripping over toys.  I don't think there is a too careful for me.  The even better surprise is underneath the bike.  Yep the rug was my list!  My tricky husband already had it and put up with my crankiness for the sake of surprise!  He's a keeper:)  It is so plush and super soft.  So much so that Dalin thought it would make a great landing spot for a cannon ball.  I didn't see it so I don't know if he actually landed on his booty, but he's pretty sure his crack is even bigger now.