Quiche al la Banzhaf

I love to cook. Unfortunately, none of my family like me to cook. At least not a wide variety of things. I love to try new things, but people in this house are stuck in a box, culinary wise.
Zachary wont eat red meat of any kind. He does love most vegetables, oatmeal and fruit. Tanner wont eat mashed potatoes, spaghetti,corn, rice. Everything Tanner eats must be accompanied by a dipping sauce. Mike doesnt like cheese of any kind, pasta, tomatoes (although tomato sauce is ok), any thing little and green (chile's, scallions, celery), onions,or nuts (peanuts only). He does however, love seafood and fish, all meat and veggies which makes life bearable. I am not picky. I love almost anything. I dont like maple syrup but that is about it. So, as you can see this poses a problem for me, daily!!! I usually end up making at least 3 different meals at each meal time. One for the boys (modified for each). One for Mike, and one for myself and Asher. I really think Zach & Tanner will come around, they are 4. Plus, I have recently started the "then go to bed hungry" rule. Its not working all the time, but they are getting better at taking 1 bite of things.
So last night I had some pie crusts that need to be used and out of my freezer. I decided that I would make quiche, since its not something I make everyday and I love it. So, I started making it and getting ready to put all the yummy filling inside. And here is what I was told :
Mike: "Not much cheese please, if you must have some. No green things or onions."
Zach: "No meat in mine"
Tanner: "I dont like eggs"

So, I made a quiche with eggs, milk, some Swiss and cheddar cheese, bacon on half and salt and pepper. Whats the point, I cant make everyone happy. After everyone had some I came back and looked at "eggs in a crust". It was like a analogy of my cooking life. Lots of good planning and intention. But no one enjoys it but me.
SAD!!!

Small and Mighty

I walked into the kitchen yesterday and panicked when I saw Asher standing on the dishwasher. I grabbed him just as his little socks started to slip. This 10 month old thinks he is invincible. He tries to climb the stairs, get into drawers and cupboards. He is too big. What happened to my baby?
When Mike came home from work, I opened the dishwasher to see if Asher would recreate the scene. With daddy supervising, and me behind the camera, we have pretty much reenacted my view upon entering the kitchen yesterday morning. Can you believe this kid?

I just turned 30 and have just seen GONE WITH THE WIND in its entirety. Now I am sure some of you are thinking, "so what?". Well, I am feeling a little strange about the whole thing. While I admit, the history buff in me loved certain parts of this film, the other part of me was quietly thinking, "Man, I am such a Scarlett O'hara sometimes". It left me confused and wondering why I haven't watched it before now.
1)Who has the time to watch this epic movie? It was 4 hrs long.
2) Why didnt I want to see Scarlett slap so many people. The sister slapping scenes were my favorite. Had I known there was so much slapping, I would have seen it years ago.
3) Clark Gable was dreamy..I found him strangely attractive. Which is weird & wrong because if you are ever in the Law building on BYU campus, and look at my dads picture hanging in the hallway, they are very similar...I may ask Mike to grow that mustache,it would be " oh so sexy".
4) Can war be anymore depressing? The civil war is even more sad to me living so close to Gettysburg, knowing what happened there. The Alabama monument at Gettysburg happens to be one of my favorites(the movie is centered on the O'haras plantation in Alabama. The Alabamians were some of the largest causalities in the battle at Gettysburg).
5) I loved Mammy's character, and her red petticoat. So funny!
6) How depressing is it that Scarlett is so darn stubborn!Ultimately she gains money but never gains happiness. What a downer. She ends right where she started. I hope Im not really a Scarlett O'hara.

I must say, for a classic. I liked it. It took me long enough to see it. Im sure my husband will read this and think Im crazy for wasting so much time (heck you gotta watch something while folding laundry right?). To that I say, as the famous line goes "frankly my dear, I dont give a damn!"

Funny quotes from this month

The boys have been saying some funny things lately. Here are a few of my fav's from this month.

Zach:" Mom, Tanners crying like a Chaka Khan-Baby head face".
(His father has taught him to say Chaka-Khan since his infancy. Its one of those words that is a subsitute for a curse word in our house. Instead of yelling, Judas Priest! Or Gadfrey Ortega! Mike yells, Chaka-Khan!)

Zach:" Daddys a boy, Tanners a boy, Zachs a boy, Ashers a boy, and mommy is a girl. But when she grows up, she can be a boy".

Tanner overhears me ordering fries & chicken nuggets for him a Wendy's. And starts crying hysterically. In our family we have called Chicken nuggets "bok-boks". Now that the boys are growing up I decided that we should call them their proper name (no not, glutenous beak meat). Tanner is unsure of why I would order "Nuggets". I get out to comfort him:
Me: "Why are you crying Tanner. mommy got you some nuggets and fries?"
Tanner:" I dont like poo nuggets and french fries. Get me bok-bok's".
I guess we have confused him.

Me: Is Asher poopy, I smell something"
Zach smelling Ashers diaper "Yes mom, there is a loaf in there."

Zach singing "Follow the Prophet" crawling behind Asher
" Follow the goo-goo's. Follow the goo-goo's. Follow the goo-goo's, dont go astray"
-I think Asher will grow up thinking his name is Goo-Goo.

Zach: "Mom can I have a dog named Miss-T and cat like Grandma Babbel in Utah?"
Me: "No, sorry mom is allergic to cats".
Zach: "Ok, lets go get the dog right now"

Tanner:" I coloring a picture for daddy"
Me: "What is it?"
Tanner "Its a frog for his pocket."
Me:"Does Daddy like frogs in his pocket?"
Tanner: "No, but I do!"

--Never a dull moment here.

In case I forgot to mention

Have I ever mentioned that my baby is ENORMOUS? And sweet, and funny and darling...
Oh, I could go on and on. Here are some tub shots after eating a whole bowl of spaghetti

Valentines Day

My valentines weekend was interesting. I spent Saturday with my dad, Maleah and Chris in Manhattan. Maleah had come in town for the weekend to bring her new husband to see the family at home. Mike was sick and couldnt join us, so I enjoyed the big apple without him. Boohoo! Anyway, it was fun, except the part where I forgot my coat and had to wear my moms (who forgets their coat when its 30 degrees out?).Thanks for the loaner mom, it worked out nicely. Luckily the weather wasnt too cold! Thanks for the fun day Maleah and Chris, we are glad you came for a visit!


Wall Street

Had to eat some New York Pizza at Johns on Bleeker. Oh I love the West Village!!!

Time Square

Its Offical...Im one of "THEM"

Ok, I am stubborn. But I can admit when I am wrong. I have officially become one of "them". "Them" meaning, moms who love to nurse their babies. Seriously I am so sad that Asher has decided that he no longer likes to nurse. At nearly 10 months, he thinks he is too cool to hide under mommy shirt. Plus the addition of 4 more teeth has impaired my ability to fully relax and trust that I wont be screaming when he gets bored. If you look back at my post about nursing right after Asher was born, you will see that I hated nursing. I disliked everything about it. I couldn't understand why so many people told me they loved it. I didn't nurse the twins so I really had no idea that it would get better. Now I can see...and I am going to miss it. WEIRD, I never thought I would be one of "them".

The Big 30

This is my shortest post ever. Thats because there is not much to say.
I turned 30 on Sunday. I havent taken it very well. I still feel 22, how can I possibly be so...so...OLD?

They came 2x2

My little boys turn 4 today!! I am so grateful for them. Even though at times, they stress me like non other with their tantrums and fighting. Since I use my blog as a journal, I'll write about their birth. Thus is the birthday story tradition, right? After a few years of marriage and no children, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 (most severe)endometriosis. Since the disease is progressive, they advised me to not wait to seek treatment if I wanted a family. Surgery proved to be futile, as my fallopian tubes were completely blocked and my ovaries had been trapped in the wrong place by adhesion's.In-vitro fertilization was our only choice. We held our breath and jumped, by faith, into the process. We spent every dime of our savings on the procedure. We were blessed after our first try and found out at 6 weeks, that there were two babies. At 27 weeks, I went into early labor. I was placed on bed rest for 5 weeks. At 32 weeks, the meds just weren't working to calm my contractions and I had the boys at LDS hospital 8 weeks early. Both babies were able to breath on their own (Zach was 3#6oz and Tanner was 3#12oz) and never went on ventilators ,such a blessing. The NICU is a rollercoster. Its 2 steps forward, 1 step back. I never knew from day to day who was gaining weight or learning to suck.It was a nightmare. I will say that the hospital was wonderful and I loved and trusted the nurses which made it bearable. I drove from our tiny apt in Midvale to the hospital everyday for 7.2 weeks. I would be there from 10-6. Then Mike, after finishing classes in grad school would swing down to the hospital and take the evening shift. Feeding, changing and holding the boys. Tanner was the first to come home. Zachary endured 3 blood transfusions before getting strong enough to eat and grow. He came home a week after Tanner. That was the hardest week of my life. Having one baby home, and one at the hospital. I felt awful leaving either of them alone. I hated leaving Tanner while I was at the hospital. I cried every night at home leaving Zachary behind while Tanner had mommy at night. I cannot tell you the relief I felt to have them both with me, without IV's or monitors ringing.
It was a journey, but I am grateful for it. It has strengthen my faith and my gratitude for all things heavenly.The boys have been healthy ever since leaving the hospital. And despite their prematurity, have been in or above the 70 percentile in height/weight since birth (Tanner has never been below the 80th). Mike and I knew the road would be hard with no savings, fellowships that made no money, crappy apartments and 3 moves in 4 years, but it was worth it to have our little boys. We love you Zach and Tanner. We would do it all again to have you with us.

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please ignore my baby talk in the videos...I know its annoying