...popcorn play...

this was zac's first experience with an actual popcorn popper...and he was just as excited as i thought he would be. i remember popping popcorn as a kid and loving every minute of it...so exciting to see these little kernels "magically" turn into popcorn! anyway, we both had fun with it. and by the way...i found this cute, old-fashioned style popcorn popper at target just before christmas for $19.99 in case you're wondering! :)

...calling it crazy...

so it's been a bit of a crazy week...between getting ourselves settled into the new house, zac's double ear infection & eardrum bursting, and emerson's CT scan at primary children's i haven't even tried to find time to do the blog thing. but now it's friday night, the kids are sleeping & doing great...and so i thought i'd post while i have a chance.

we were lucky enough to have some semi-warm days this last week...the snow is finally beginning to melt, and you better believe that we're all a bit antsy for springtime to finally get here! chad didn't hesitate for one second though, once it hit 45 degrees & the sun was out, he grabbed the shovel & cleared off the putting green in the back. yes, that's right, our house has a putting green in the backyard...and yes, it is safe to assume that chad's pretty much in heaven. ;)

and i'm not so sure how i feel about having a trampoline...it's half way in the ground, but still...you watch america's funniest home videos & seriously...and even though we laugh at it, it's not a good thing that so many people get hurt on those things! for now it'll be okay, zac loves it...but my overly cautious self might get rid of it one day.

and little emmy LOVES her baths! she literally gets so excited splashing all over that by the end of bath time, i'm covered with water as well as the bathroom floor...we've had a couple of slipping incidences too, which suprisingly haven't seemed to phase her. she's a crazy one!

...cookies & kisses...

zac & i spent our afternoon yesterday making some sugar cookies...i don't think valentine's day could pass by without them...they're our very favorite february treat! hope you all have a very happy valentines on thursday! ...xoxo...

...Friday's Favorites...

this is one of our family's favorite weeknight dinners. it really is soo yummy & tastes just like the real deal...and it's easy too, so that's even better! next week i'll post a yummy recipe to use the rest of the smoked gouda cheese in...seeing as how smoked gouda isn't that common of an ingredient, it's nice to put the whole thing to use!

California Pizza Kitchen BBQ-Chicken Pizza

Pizza Crust: (i like to buy the pillsbury refrigerated crust...super quick & easy! follow the instructions on the package for a crispy crust, otherwise it may turn out soggy.)

Topping:
1 boneless chicken breast
1/2 c. BBQ sauce
1 1/2 tsp. olive oil
1 c. mozzarella cheese, grated
1/2 c. smoked gouda cheese, grated
1/2 c. thinly sliced red onion
2 tsp. finely chopped cilantro

Preheat oven to 400.

Cut the chicken breast into bite-size cubes. Heat a small frying pan with olive oil in it. Saute chicken for about 3-4 minutes over medium high heat. Once the chicken is no longer pink, add about 1/4 cup BBQ sauce to chicken & let it continue to cook.

Spread 1/4 c. BBQ sauce on lightly browned pizza crust (b/c you pre-bake it to prevent having a soggy crust). Sprinkle 1/2 c. mozzarella and all of the Gouda cheese over the sauce. Add the chicken next and then the red onions. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 c. mozzarella around the center of the pizza & top with cilantro.

Bake the pizza for 8-10 minutes or until the cheese has melted. soo yummy! happy eating!

...goodbye 201...

yes, it's been a while since i last posted...but this last week we've been crazy busy moving. we're so excited to finally be in our own house! i think we've been most excited about the garage, pantry, storage room, extra closets, and plenty of room to run around. zac was making a lot of noise yesterday & i asked him to be quiet. he looked at me & said, "uh, mom! you forgot! no neighbors remember? i can be loud now!" and he went on making his noises. i had nothing to say, but realized how nice it is to finally have our own space. so....now it's on to getting things organized, which i love...call me weird, but i do love organizing. so, if you have any tips on how you keep your homes organized, please share...that would be great!:)