time flies.

Home Sweet Chico

AND GUESS WHO WAS THERE TO SURPRISE ME WHEN I GOT THERE??????????????

I swear he was excited.

I showed up in Paradise and Chels and this little gem jumped out from under a comforter.

I started screaming, then slowly it hit me that they had planned all of this, driven 11 hours with 2 babies through the night and all for me?

I have the best family & friends in the world.

I am very lucky.

I was sobbing when all this registered. I'm kinda tearing up now.

I couldn't/can't help it...As you could tell from my last wahhhhh-mbulance post, I have been a little lonely and this touched me right to my heart that these sweet girls sensed I needed a major pick-me-up and a bearhug in person.

I went up to Chico/Paradise for some hometown rejuvenation with some best friends & family starting with The Manwill Fam minus Daye and Chels & Vance were surprise stowaways.

The 3 amigos reunite!

Shauna tossed Koosh-balls from the upper balcony to the babies and they could not figure out what was going on, hilarious.

I had to post this picture. Is this not Shauna Manwill Jr.??? Like Daydre and Shauna bred. Cade is hunting down her binkie. He had already commandeered Penelope the pink giraffe, next: her pink binkie.

Jaynie & Vance played hide & seek, so cute.

Played with Auntie Cam

Karlie plays volleyball at Butte and we went to one of her games, cute Chels.

Chels and I went to Tres Hombres...oh so yummy. I miss this town. Though it didn't take this trip to make me realize that. I think about it often. Often being like everyday. haha:)

Then, we ventured down to the hometown, Chico. Oh I love this place. The only thing that made it better was staying at Scott & Kayci's house. It felt like being at home and that too helped relieve a bit of pent up melancholy. We: hung out, went to my all time favorite mexican food, La Comida, watched vids, introduced Scott to the bust-a-gut-from-laughter land of Dave Chappelle, watched Kayci work her magic knitting fingers( I need to post a picture of what she made Vance), played games with Colt & Chase, ate Celestino's, went on a trip down memory lane( ie Pine Tree, ABC market, downtown, Chico High, Emma Wilson etc...), donned Cade the official nickname of 'Megamind' ( anyone who has seen my child's cranium knows this is perfect & oh so funny at the same time-thank you to Colten for bringing this to the Tiner humor table),went to Morning Thunder for Breakfy, went to Jon & Bon's for 2nd breakfy, and had some way past due chit chats interlaced with belly laughs in their living room. So much fun. Cade loved Scott, almost as much as his hat:) The first pic is a CLASSIC Scotty look. Come visit please so we can do all this again but in Monterey?

This picture of Cade was just funny and appropriate since this is all he does these days. Bill has an Aunt who is always happy and always nice, Jeannie is her name. She said the key to positivity is finding humor in everything. She said she does this so efficiently that she has to be careful not to embarrass herself at funerals...so I was thinking my goal is to be somewhere between myself and Jeannie at a funeral, which is humorous in and of itself! Laughing is therapeutic, and therefore, this trip was too.

Just a side note, Vance is standing on his own and his concentration face is humorous...

This shirt is humorous too...

Colten and Chase LOOOOOVED these boys. Chelsea and I had to play second fiddle when it came to these boys with our boys. They remind me of my brothers, they all are gonna be sweet daddies.

This baby brings humor to our day constantly. I know how annoying it is when people speak in absolutes, but really, he is the best baby ever. Rarely cries, entertains himself, naps great (still working on sleeping through the night), laughs easily, cuddles me when I want and plays to give me a break when I can't. He has such telling eyes,they are very very attentive. He rarely misses a beat. They are soft and kind. Very innocent and happy, anyone can tell he has a sweet soul just looking at his big baby blues. Plus, he's the cutest thing I've ever seen. Sorry, but he is:)

I think I have an obsession with:

This photo and everything that Cade's sweet look at Bill says.

Check my new binkie AKA mute button:

THANKS AUNTIE HOLLY FOR MY NEW LOOK:)

Thanksgiving 2010

So we drove 17 hours, better known as forever. And to get where? Utah? Family is where your heart is I guess. I actually miss it. Like really miss it. I am far more lonely than I thought I would be, and not to throw a pity party or anything, friends and family are what make me happiest and I wasn't prepared for the transition we've had to make...that's why 17 hours of driving was sooo worth it. Worth it so I could get back to where people know me best and I don't have to try to prove I'm worth hanging out with. What a breath of fresh air, even though it was a mere 9 degrees. I never thought pulling up past the Y mount would warm my heart. I of course in a hurry to get out the door forgot my camera so all I have is a few random pics...I'll have to get copies from Mom, Chels & Steph, better known as the ladies who know me best.

My punkin in his CUTE CUTE CUTE turkey shirt made by Auntie Chels

Vance & Grandma

Uncle Dal & Cader

The 3 amigos in the tub

The lonesome girl amigo's fantastic BOOTY & ROLLS:):):)

Cade & Grandpa Jim! Stopped in Vegas for the night both ways, thanks to my amazing cousin Whit for letting us stay there. Just one more gem of a girl who knows me best.

Just cramming Abby girl and Cader into a one-bottom stroller. Didn't last long:) This trip was AWESOME. My family came down and it was just relaxing and fun. If everyone reading this could go ahead and make the leap and move to California, that'd be great. Much abliged.

CADE LATELY:

loves highchairs & eating beans in them.

We live next door to Pacific Grove Highschool, so we've loved walking on the track when Bill gets home from work. Grandma Triss would be so proud.
He wears a real tie to church and it melts me everytime....so funny and cute at the same time.
Last but not least he's learning how to use a sippy...so far it' s a whole lotta me wiping up puddles, but he's getting it.

Bomb Diggity Dinner

I haven't posted any recipes in a long time. So long that I can't remember if I ever have....anyway, Ashley Mounteer ( formerly Manwill:) gave me a cookbook that is hilarious AND SOOOOOOOO good. She has a copy and I borrowed it for a good 2 weeks. So, for my birthday, she sent me a copy:) We both love to try new recipes and find things that are healthy, but don't taste like it. Thoughtful little bestie. Everything I make out of it is so good. Despite my lack of recipes posted, I really love to cook & bake, and this book rocks. Last night we made:

Melancauli Baby

Curried cauliflower Sweet potato soup with Swiss cheese and wild rice

When you’re feeling down in the dumps, raise your spirits with this outstanding combination of ingredients that’s so tasty, it’ll bring tears of joy to your eyes!

1 tbsp butter or oliv

e oil

2 cups thinly sliced leeks (about 2 large)
2 tsp minced garlic
4 cups small cauliflower florets
1 ½ cups peeled, cubed sweet potato
1 ½ tsp curry powder
1 tsp ground cumin
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 cup cooked brown and wild rice blend (see tip in margin)
1 cup evaporated 2% m

ilk

1/2 cup packed shredded light Swiss cheese (2 oz)

Add butter to a medium saucepan & melt.

Add leeks and garlic. Cook and stir until leeks begin to soften, about 3 minutes.

Stir in cauliflower, sweet potato, curry, and cumin. Cook and stir for 1 more minute. Add broth, salt, and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

Transfer half the soup to a blender and purée until smooth. Return puréed soup to pot with remaining soup and mix well. Stir in cooked rice, milk, and Swiss cheese.

Heat soup for 1 more minute. Serve hot.

Makes 8 servings

Per serving: 142 calories, 3.7 g total fat (1.7 g saturated fat), 8 g of protein, 20 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 16 mg cholesterol, 448 mg sodium

*** I put extra cut up sweet potatoes because I love them, also I forgot swiss cheese and used pepper jack and I loved the little kick it gave it. Also, it was even better the next day for lunch and only has 142 calories per serving.***

Here is a pic of the book:

http://www.amazon.com/Shrink-Merry-Great-Tasting-Food-That/dp/0968063136/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1290546601&sr=8-1

Playing catchup...

Halloween on a sunday goes like this for our fam:

A little Giants game

Putting on our cute spider costume from Auntie Coconuts

Exploring the trick or treaters candy bowl...we only had 3 come by our door:(

Do a little pose with Dad

We had Grandma Triss and Grandpa Jim down on Halloween weekend which made it much more fun

Grandma Shelley sent me this Halloween shirt from Montana. We miss her.

Lately Cade is into:

T.V. It doesn't matter where in the room he is, he'll turn his neck in unnatural positions to see the tube.

Yo Gabba Gabba on the computer....no joke, he would sit here all day if I let him. Look at that face.

Oh the intrigue!

Oh the suspense!

Oh the anger and upset!

And lastly, continuing with the technology obsessions, he loves the remote.

I love to watch Cade throw a kink in Bill's 30+ years way of doing things. Work, come home and get in his sweats, and watch sports. All night long. Not no mo. Cade likes to watch Bill, play with Bill and his favorite thing is to try and grab his glasses before Bill can catch him.

We started Cade on solids a little earlier than we had planned because he is NOT sleeping at night. It hasn't helped. It was a little comic relief though:) He hated it at first and then couldn't get enough:

Oh gag, sick, nast, ew...

Hmmm...that's not so bad...

I'll take it from here, thanks

oh yeah, I'll just use my hands.

Dear Cade,

Mama and dad love you to the moon and back, but scout's honor if you don't start to sleep more than an hour and a half at a time I'm gonna slip you a baby dose of unisom. Mama is loooooosing her mind.

Love,

Mom and Dad- but mostly Mom.