Swim with Santa

On Saturday I took Lauren and Nate to the rec center for Swim with Santa. I know, the concept seems a little strange, but the kids had fun. And yes, Santa with his big beard, hat, and swim trunks, did get in the pool!

Bake n' Wrap

My mom and sisters started our first annual bake n' wrap on Friday night. We had so much fun baking treats for our neighbors and wrapping gifts. We finally made it to bed around 4:30 am and got a few hours of sleep. This was definitely a tradition I think we'll continue!

I have the four best friends anyone could ask for...my mom and three sisters!

Making my favorite Rolo treats....

Trying a new recipe that turned out so good

Mom stirring homemade fudge...

Pounding chocolate...

My sister takes gift wrapping very serious...

Ann's Cheese Ball

This post is a tribute to my great mother-in-law. This recipe has kept me married for 11 years!

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded

1 tablespoon pimiento chopped

1 tablespoon chopped green bell peppers

1 tablespoon chopped onions

2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Dash salt

Chopped nuts

Combine cream cheese and cheddar cheese until blended well. Add pimento, green peppers, onions, worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and seasonings. Mix well. Spoon onto plastic wrap and form into a ball. Chill. Roll in chopped nuts and serve with crackers.

One Cool Dude

Jason and I were getting ready for a night out with some friends last weekend when Nathan decided to blow dry his own hair. Let's just say it will be a while before we let him do his own hair again.

First Big Snow!

Jason and the kids were really excited about the first big snow storm we got last week. The kids couldn't wait to get on all their gear and go out. While Jason decided to help use the snow blower on half of the neighborhoods driveways, Nate got all geared up for a snowball fight. I always think the snow looks really pretty...from inside.

"I've Got Crap"

After ten days of croup and multiple steriod and breathing treatments, we decided a quick trip to Primary Children's wasn't a bad idea. Jason took Nate to the ER to make sure there wasn't any other underlying infection going on. Nathan came home with the same "croup" diagnosis and a couple of xrays. You would have thought Christmas came early, he was so excited about his "first xray." He couldn't wait to take it to preschool to show everyone. I had to keep him home a few more days but the night before he was planning to go he told Jason he was going to show the kids at school his xray. Jason asked him "what are you going to tell the kids you have?" Nathan responded, "I've got crap." Well, I have to admit having croup is pretty crappy but after controlling our laughter we made sure to correct him. "Croup, buddy, not crap!"

Italian Shell Casserole

I have no idea why my kids eat this. I mean don't they know it has spinach? I know casseroles are very 1970's but for some reason this one has survived the last couple of decades. It was a favorite of mine as a child but once I started making it, I decided it was too much work. So I altered it a little bit and came up with this version. Lauren loves this so much she usually asks for it for her "pick whatever you want" birthday dinner. My sister's boys love it too. There's just some things you in life you just don't question and why my kids eat this has to be one of them.

1 16-ounce box medium pasta shells

1/2 pound mild pork sausage

1 pound ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

2/3 cup (10 oz pkg) frozen chopped spinach

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 10 3/4-ounce can cream of mushroom soup

3/4 cup milk

1 8-ounce can tomato sauce

1/2 pound (2 1/2 cups) grated sharp cheddar cheese

Cook shells, drain and rinse. Cook sausage and beef a little and then add onion, seasonings and Worcestershire sauce and cook over medium heat until onion is tender. Add spinach and mix well. Remove from heat and add 1 3/4 c. cheese and mix well. Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and add meat mixture. Dilute soup with milk and heat slightly to mix well. Pour over casserole and stir slightly to mix in. Pour tomato sauce over top but do not stir. Sprinkle remaining cheese over top. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes until cheese bubbles.

*This recipe is easy to split into two 8x8 pans. It also freezes really well. I usually bake one 8x8 for our family and freeze the other dish (before baking it).