Christmas at G'ma Karyn & G'pa Ray's

The Cousins, Rowan (6), Sutton (9) and William (10.5 mos).
Rob, Sut & Row open a gift to them, as Grandpa Ray looks on.

Mommy helps William open a gift, or is it the other way around?

Rob and Row check out a new book that Rowan got.

ROB GETS HIS SALAD SPINNER! Do you think he's excited???

Sutton, Amy & William cuddle on the love seat.

Row notices the camera, as we all look to see what Sut got.
Dave partakes in the Wii boxing tournament that we got going. (He fights like a girl! At least that's what his technique looks like.)

The Start of Something Good.

Happy 2009 everyone, I hope you all ventured into it safe and warm. I just wanted to share how time flies, not that any of you don't know that. For us 01/01/09 wasn't special for the fact that it was New Years - but for the fact that Dave and I met 8 years ago exactly. We were discussing how, in so many ways it doesn't seem like 8 years...and in a few others it seems like a lot longer. :-) Then we were discussing that in just over 5 weeks we will have a 1-year-old in our home! He's just cut 2 more uppers this week, and once those come through more, he'll have 7 teeth, and a pretty full smile. My baby is growing so quickly, but so far I'm still able to get hugs and loves from him. And let me tell you I hold on longer and longer each time, as I know the older he gets, the less he'll want to stop and love his mommy.

Wow... I'm not so sure time is on my side, if it were it wouldn't leave me in the dust.

Shhh...Shhhh....Shhhhh.....

"It's Oh So Quiet..." (mental tune of Bjork's playing on in my head)
I've just come to the realization that I have a new found appreciation for silence...or something akin to it. I used to like to clean with the radio on, or even as I type now I used to prefer to have music playing, or the TV on. But right now I'm perfectly content with the humming noise from the baby monitor.

WD is napping. Dave and the pups are on a walk. And I've just sat down (after assembling a pot roast for supper) to share this revelation with you

Hopefully more to come on the blog yet today. Take care & check back in frequently!

WD's first Christmas

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE KLUVERS FAMILY!!

For Christmas Eve I worked until 5, and Dave and WD had the day off. Dave started supper so there was hot oyster stew waiting for me when I got home (yum - I'm getting a taste for it now, at least once-a-year). After supper we all went to a nice 7:30pm church service. Then returned home to relax before going to bed. We were all in bed by 10:30, but WD (apparently excited by Santa) woke-up at 4:45am, and I got up with him since Dave did it the last 2 nights for me. Finally back to sleep by 5:45am, WD's Christmas gift to the rest of us was letting us sleep in until 8am on Christmas morning. Dave and I agreed that was nice, as we know in another year, that is not going to happen again for a very, very long time. :-)

The picture above was taken 2 weeks ago, but I felt it should make the blog. :-)

Raspberry & Buddy Too are the first to check out their stockings.

WD checks out the tree close up.

WD and Daddy open WD's stocking. OH BOY - Bath Toys.

Alright - another box! I'm going to beat on it and make noise!!!

WD's first set of race cars courtesy of G'ma and G'pa Kluver.

WD explores a toy in one hand, and a package ribbon in another.

He doesn't quite get it - but I'm pretty sure he enjoyed it.

WD really enjoying the play center from G'ma and G'pa Kluver. Shortly after this picture, he tried climbing it like a ladder to get to the window. He's too clever...

Dave and I enjoyed our day off and time to enjoy our family. Dave is on the mend hurting his back when he spent too much time on the floor playing with WD yesterday. So he really took it easy. I didn't get to "unscratch" some of my stocking-stuffers until early this afternoon, and it turns out that my husband is a lucky charm!!! The problem is he now thinks what's mine, is his!!! I THINK NOT!! (I am being vague for a reason, you'll have to e-mail or ask me for an explanation if you want one. I prefer when Dave explains it, then I get to smile and laugh at him. he he he )

I hope you all had a warm, safe and very Merry Christmas!!! Off to G'ma Karyn & G'pa Ray's house tomorrow night for Christmas with them and the cousins.

We know just how to keep warm on this cold day.

With the high today a balmy -1, we (WD and I) got an early start to our day at 6:30. Daddy decided to sleep in so we got to warming up the house. First we made peanut butter cookies, a new recipe that consisted of 1c PB, 1c Sugar and 1 egg. Ehh... they weren't that great, but Dave and I didn't let that stop us from eating most of them. Then WD and I made a baked ham and cheese omelet, that was yummy. No recipe, just a combo of several I'd read or seen. After breakfast (and with Dave still sleeping), we got started on our 2nd cookie recipe, Triple Chocolate Cookies (http://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipe.asp?recipeids=2531&iSeason=8) wow - they are rich. Dave said he would be fine if I never made them again, but I thought they were pretty good with a cold glass of milk or a hot cup of coffee, or even better - a big scoop of vanilla ice cream on few of them still warm.....mmmmmmm (yep - that would be my genes talking!)

By then it was time to get to cracking on lunch, and I was still in my PJs, but at least Dave had been up for a few hours so he could help occupy WD (who did get in a nap during all this). I had Dave pull some chicken and some flounder fillets from the deep freeze, but just what to do with them all was the puzzle. After debate with Dave and him rejecting chicken and stuffing casserole, and also white chicken chili (yum), I told him he could make supper with them and we both agreed on Thai Curry Chicken. So for lunch I made stuffed flounder. I Googled some ideas, and that sounded the best. Except I was stuck at home on this frigid, bitter-cold day with out the shrimp and crab most recipes were calling for. So - I channeled my inner "Frances" and thought - "What would Grandma do?" Knowing she's make something up with what she had, and then spread butter on it. Funny enough - that's what I did. And it was really good!!! You can see my "recipe" below if your interested. Presentation isn't my strong suit but they really did look better in person. Dave and I had lunch and I called dibs on the left-overs for lunch the next 2 days. I calculated the WW points and found this wasn't too bad, even with butter. And BOY do I need to get back on the WW-Wagon ASAP! After these cookies, and this weekend, and it all started with a potluck Friday at work.

Since lunch, Dave's playing around in the wood-shop, making some type of closet insert/organizer. WD is napping and has been for the last 1hr 40min. I've eaten another Triple Chocolate cookie, washed it down with some hot tea, have been playing around with the blog, and listening to Christmas music. Life just can't get much sweeter - can it???

Stay warm and safe travels to you (if you are traveling)!!

Stuffed Flounder Fillets (should work for any light fish)

Prep - 20 min Pre-heated Oven to 300

Servings - 6 WW Points - 6

6 Flounder Fillets (we got ours at Sam's Club)

1 Box Rice-a-Roni Long Frain & Wild Rice (make according to box)

1/2 can Great Northern Beans (drained and rinsed)

1 can sliced mushrooms (drained and rinsed)

1 stalk celery (diced)

1/2 small onion (diced)

2 T butter (divided)

2 T Lemon Juice (bottled is fine)

> While the Rice-a-Roni is cooking, in a small hot skillet, melt 1T butter, and add in your diced celery and onion and cook until translucent.

> About 5 minutes before the Rice-a-Roni is done, add the beans and mushrooms.

> Mix the Rice-a-Roni mixture and the onion and celery.

> Place 3 fillets in a sprayed baking dish.

*** I lightly dreged my fillets in flour seasoned with pepper and Cookie's Seasoning, but I don't think it added much, you could do without it if you chose to ***

> Scoop the rice mixture onto the 3 fillets evenly. (I found it useful to pack a 1/4 measuring cup and then use that to place the rice, it held it's shape more, verses the rice falling all over in the dish.)

> Place the remaining 3 fillets on top.

> Bake on lower oven rack at 300 for 10 min, then remove, and drizzle a mixture of the 2T lemon juice and 1T butter melted over the top of all. Cover with foil, turn pan, and place on a middle to upper oven rack for about 10 more minutes, or until fish is flaky.

Would be a wonderful meal with a side salad, and a glass of white wine. Maybe a Triple Chocolate cookie and coffee to finish the meal off? Mmmmmmmm...........enjoy.

An afternoon outing to the mall (the weekend before Christmas)

Ok - So I met someone on-line, and Dave knows all about it. Well I met them today for lunch...and I had a very nice time. Her name is Sarah, and I met her and her daughter for lunch at Panara Bread (at Jordan Creek). Sarah just moved back from several years in Korea, and was looking to find some babies her daughter's age to play with. So she and I got to talking on-line and set up today's meeting. She's very nice, and it was really interesting to learn things about her, her daughter (who's about 2 weeks older than WD), and the differences from having an infant in Korea (naturally!) and coming back to Iowa (where Sarah is from, and where her parents live). I had a very nice time, and am looking forward to meeting up with them again.

After a small lunch, WD and I thought we'd go check out the mall, to putz away a little time, and maybe keep an eye out for some black shoes for me. 4 hours later...we left with a couple little things and a new pair of shoes. It was so nice actually. As crazy-busy as the mall was, WD and I took our time, and looked around, and smiled at people. WD only got a 30min nap on the way there, but you'd never know as he was so well behaved! Of course, the challenge is tonight as he's wound for sound! Jibber-jabbering and cruising around and just going non-stop!

Tomorrow the high temp is suppose to be -1! I told Dave of my concerns taking WD out for church...but I guess we'll just see how the night goes, and how we feel in the morning.

Best wishes to all and keep warm!!!

Thankful for family & playtime!

We went North for Thanksgiving this year to Grandma & Grandpa Kluver's house. We had a long ride up with a very packed car (we took some furniture up for our niece). William had a great time with his cousins and aunts & uncles.

He especially loved playing in Grandma's chairs. We would put him in his walker to keep him "out of trouble" and he still found a way to play. He would grab the chairs, and tip them over to him and chew on them (still teething) or grab them and move them out into the middle of the room.









It was also his cousin Christi's birthday and I volunteered to make her a cake. It was really fun to be able to bake something (and share it) while on vacation. Christi requested something gooey, with whipped cream. That... I can do! :-) The Chocolate-Carmel-Gooey-Cake was a hit with everyone.










On Saturday Cindy (Dave's sister from Chicago), Dave, WD and I went to visit Dave's Great-Aunt Edna. She is a great lady, but is really down right now, battling an infection that must get cleared-up before they can proceed with gallbladder surgery. Aunt Edna was not her usual jovial self when we saw her. You could tell she was tired and not feeling well. Hopefully they can get that infection cleared up ASAP and get her in for the surgery. She was told it could be 2 weeks to 2 months before she can have the surgery! Please say a little prayer for her.

After a very nice weekend with everyone we drove back home in snow and crummy weather. We are still working on getting WD back on his sleep schedule. Last night (Tuesday night) was the first night he slept through the night AND didn't get up at 5am (he pulled those tricks every night at Grandma & Grandpa's).

WD took some time to check out the local papers when we got home. He had a blast playing in them and loved the noise they made when he crinkled them. What a cute little ham!