Our Year - 2011

This past year has been filled with many struggles, many joys, and multiple MIRACLES!  We are thankful for the opportunity to experience each of these things.  It has helped us to grow individually and as a family.  It has taught us what is truly important in this lifetime.  And it has allowed us all to grow in our faith, as we prepare for our eternity.  Wishing you all a wonderful 2012!


Today, my little friends will be my "guest bloggers" sharing with you their thoughts and favorite moments from 2011 (with some spelling help from Mom as needed).

 JACOB

My favorite parts of 2011 were going to Medieval times with my dad and Jessica in July and starting basketball with Pop.  I liked going to my dad's work to play basketball.  I also liked going to Bass Pro.  My sisters and I went to a lot of places this year and did a lot of fun things!  Me and Lexie got iPod Touches for Christmas. I went to my friend's house for a sleepover. This year was great. Oklahoma beat Iowa. My mom and I bought Santa some cookies. We ate some of Santa's cookies. Me and Chad boxed. Me and my brothers played Legos. I played some computers. I finished soccer a couple months ago.  I can't wait for next year!






LEXIE

My favorite part about 2011 was being with my family. I enjoyed celebrating with my friends & family, going to gym meets & doing Girl Scout things, and going to the nursing home. My mom, dad, and Nayna took us to Bass Pro lots of times to do activities and see Santa. We went swimming and to movies. We got to travel to Oklahoma and stay in hotels.  I also had a Hollywood birthday party!  I wonder what's next for next year. I'll just have to wait. Anyway this year was fantastic, awesome, great, and all those things. It was also a little crazy since everyone was here. But like I said before the best part was being with my family. Thank you God for 2011 & thank you Jesus for the best year of my life. God & Jesus bless everyone. Thank you.







HADLIE 


Hadlie had quite the eventful year!  She started gymnastics and soccer.  Both of which she loves!  She no longer attends daycare and spends her time with Daddy, Mommy, or Popo.  This has been wonderful for her to get to spend this time at home developing at her overly accelerated pace and keeping us all on our toes!  In May, she got her stitches.  She now has a scar on her face, but it has healed better than we expected.  She turned 2 in September.  Hadlie loves to swim, play, jump, and make people laugh.  She is constantly saying, "That funny" or "I just kidding".  She's definitely full of personality!  Hadlie has enjoyed getting to tag along to all of the "big kids" activities.  Mostly because she simply ADORES her brother and sister!  Hadlie loves going to church and singing church songs.  And she loves constantly changing her outfits!  She's just been so much fun this year!  I know that we are all looking forward to seeing her little personality continue to develop in 2012.

Our First Elf on the Shelf Experience

The night he arrived!

This was our first year to have Ollie, our Elf on the Shelf.  He arrived at our doorstep on Friday, December 2 while we were in the middle of writing letters to Santa.  The kids were thrilled! 

We have truly enjoyed having Ollie here.  The kids wake up excited to find him.  Hadlie wants so badly to touch him!  And I've enjoyed thinking of things for him to do.  Some nights are carefully planned out.  Others are spur of the moment.  Some nights I've woken abruptly at 3 or 4 AM remembering that I forgot to move him.  Those are the nights he's simply hiding in a new spot!


I know many are concerned that the Elf on the Shelf is one more thing to take away the focus of celebrating Jesus this time of year.  For us, that is not a problem.  Our children are well versed in the story of Jesus' birth.  Ollie is not used as a reminder to be good.  Our focus is still the same: God is always watching.  Make sure your choices are honoring and pleasing Him.  Ollie is simply another childhood memory.  Another way to cherish the precious moments we've been given with our children ... another thing to make them smile!  


I look forward to seeing Ollie again next year.  Until then, this is what he will leave for the kids tomorrow as he heads back to the North Pole for another year... I share it with you:

Some of Ollie's other adventures included...

Taking Barbie for a ride... yee haw!

A nice relaxing puzzle!

Getting a little fishing in!

Roasting some marshmallows

Eating our cookies & drinking chocolate milk!

TP the Christmas Tree

Rice Angel

 

 

Elf donuts, anyone?

Drawing on the family pictures

Driving mom's car, and doing a horrible parking job in the driveway!

Cuddling in Lexie's bed while she and Hadlie were out of town!

Outrageous Ollie to the rescue!

White Queso Dip

I found a recipe for White Queso dip on Pinterest so I decided to give it a whirl.  I did change it up a bit because... well, I can.  So here is what I did, and it was oh so yummy!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of white American cheese (got the Kroger brand from the deli)
• 1/4 cup of Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 can of Rotel with lime and cilantro (drained the juices)
• 1/4 cup of onion
• Half and half 
• 1 Tbs. Olive Oil

Steps to White Queso Dip Bliss:

• Shred all cheeses (don't buy the already shredded kind and cheat)
• Chop onion (I use a choppy thing so it gets chopped really fine)
• Heat olive oil in a sauce pan on med. heat
• Add onions and saute them on med. low heat
• Add 1/4 cup of half and half and Rotel
• Put in all cheeses and stir your heart out until it's all melted!
• Add half and half as needed until you reach your desired consistency

Options (which I will use next time on half of the recipe because some of us like a spicier dip):

•  Seed and dice one jalapeno (I'll use the choppy thing on this as well) and throw it in with everything else!

My own little picture of a chip and the queso!

It was easy breezy and super yummy!  It was also fine to throw in the microwave and reheat as needed!  For the Pinterest version (which is very similar) visit this site.


Hope you enjoy!