James turns 7!

I can't believe it!

I really can't.

My sweet little baby James has turned 7 years old!

We didn't have school on his birthday (as per his request). So he and his sisters played all morning while I made a cake. In the afternoon we meet Barry and drove to our land. On the way it started snowing. It was crazy. We were to meet a guy from the power company there to give us a bid on bringing power to our land.
By the time we got to our land, the sun was shining again and the kids ran around and played, while we waited for the power guy to get un lost and find us. He did eventually, and we headed for Twin Falls. We had a fun meal at Chili's James' favorite restaurant, and Barry picked up James' present from Walmart on the way home.
Somehow, James convinced me to make a shark cake for his birthday, so we enjoyed that (plus an additional Grandma Griffin Birthday Cake) and some ice cream for dessert when we got home.

James was excited to get a new Lego Set, a Constructs set, and two books that he loves.
His sisters also gave him a squirt gun, sticky hand, and a whole pack of colored Popsicle sticks to make whatever out of. :)

James really wanted to go camping to a special camping spot for his birthday, but the weather was not cooperating. We promised him we would go soon. :D

Some Things I love about my James
1. James is very loving. He is the first kid up every morning and always come in my room to snuggle and talk to me.

2. James is insanely creative. He creates things I wouldn't ever dream of being able to, and with such an artistic flair. It's incredible. He makes things from his Legos, that you would swear were from a kit, but they are not, they are from his own ideas. He is constantly cutting, gluing, tying, and taping things. Random items are consistently snatched up to be taken back to his workshop(his room) to be created into something new! If you're missing something. Checking James' room is always your first and best option.

3. James loves to fish, and could fish all day everyday. He has incredible patience with fishing, and I have never once known him to give up without a fish. I really admire his patience and his passion for fishing.

 4. James is my brown-skinned, brown hair, brown-eyed Indian. His natural athleticism is unmatched in our family and he is a joy to watch run, play a game, whatever.

5. James is sensitive. He doesn't like to say mean things, and he doesn't like things to be unfair for anyone. Not just him. He is constantly looking out for his sisters and their justice and his. :)

6. James has an astounding memory for random facts, people, places. He is full of knowledge and is very curious about how things work. He amazes me everyday!
7. I love James' smile. It lights up his whole face and is very contagious. I can't help but smile when I see him grin.


Happy Birthday, my Boy! The world is soo much better with you in it!!!

Spicy Juice

 James driving.

I love you James. From the moment I  first saw you, you stole my heart.
You are the sweetest, best little boy a mother could ask for!

James' first fish.

Lucky

I was sitting on my bed the other day thinking how lucky I was.

NOT because I was feeling well. Nope. Not feeling well at all. I had spent the morning vigorously cleaning the house for 3.5 hours. Then homeschooled for several hours. I was tired ......and hungry.

So I was sitting on my bed. There is not a lot of(okay, virtually none) easy grab food at my house. So if you want something to eat you have to make it. That includes making the bread ...if you want a sandwich... making the tortillas if you want a taco. Make the cookies ...if you want a cookie. I swear to you this is the secret to not getting FAT .....but that secret is for another blog post.

So I was sitting on my bed tired and hungry, and the kids came in asking to watch a movie.

! ! !

I said I would make them a deal. Make dinner, and you can watch a movie. :D

Ellie was suspicious. James was eager to agree.

A fortunate thing, or unfortunate thing of my pregnancies is my food tolerance. If I crave a certain food, that food and only that food is what I can eat. Nothing else will do.

Unfortunately for the kids, I was craving Shepard's Pie.

When I mentioned this to the kid's, Ellie groaned.

I chuckled and said "If they made me Shepard's Pie, I would up the anti a bit and let them watch A BARBIE MOVIE.

This sealed the deal, but Ellie said, I wasn't allowed in the kitchen, and could only give advice from afar.

I am amazed at my children.

Those sweet children all worked together and browned the hamburger. Cut onions(James cried :) ) and peeled and cut up carrots.
Made mashed potatoes! Grated cheese. Made the Shepard's Sauce from scratch. Located the very difficult to find paprika in the pantry :) Combined, and baked everything. Ellie even made her special Parmesan bread sticks to go along with the dinner.

I just laid on my bed, resting, and thought how lucky I was :) ......while intermittently calling out reminders to turn off the stove and oven, and to not chop off their fingers.

 By the time Barry came home dinner was hot and ready, the table was set(by Emma), and the kids were all snuggling on my bed watching a movie.

The Shepard's Pie was delicious and just what I wanted. The breadsticks were amazing.  The movie was dumb. ;)

My kids are amazing! I am blessed.



You can google your own Shepard's Pie recipe. They are all so very different, so make what you like....or crave. ;)

Ellie's Parmesan Bread Sticks

5 tsp of yeast
2 cups of warm water
2 teaspoons sugar
4 T Oil (vegetable, olive, canola, corn) 
2 teaspoons salt
5 cups of AP flour ( you can half it with whole wheat)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine the yeast and sugar in warm water. Mix in the oil, mix in salt. Stir in flour. Beat 30 strokes or in the mixer for a minute. Let dough rest for 10 minutes.
Spread on greased stone or cookie sheet. Top with softened butter, Parmesan and whatever seasoning you like. Cut breadsticks with a pizza slicer. Bake bread sticks until edges are browned,17 to 20 mins. Bread sticks will be large and very fluffy. :) 
*IF you l like thinner more crispy bread sticks, simply half the recipe.

BJ's Stroganoff

 

When Barry and I first got married a million years ago, he could make about three things. Pie Crust, Taco Soup and Stroganoff. 

Disclaimer: Talking to him about this, he claims there were more things, but I sure don't remember them.

My cooking abilities were also extremely limited. Dad's Ramen Noodle Stir Fry, Rice and Slop and Spaghetti.

 

Barry's Stroganoff recipe was quite unique, and unlike anything I had ever tasted. I'm still not sure if I like it, but man whenever I make it, it sure brings back the memories. :)

.....AND if you're looking for an easy, filling recipe that your kids will eat. This is it! (well if you leave out the mushrooms)

(Now I know this may not be technically a "true" Stroganoff, but that's what he always called it.)


BJ's Stroganoff (As simple as it gets)

1 lb hamburger. Cooked and drained
salt and pepper to taste
1 can Tomato SOUP
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 cup Sour cream.
1 can of mushrooms drained, or use fried up fresh ones

*Cook and drain the hamburger.
Add the slug of tomato soup, and Worcestershire Sauce, and mushrooms. Stir and Heat.
*When heated through, add the sour cream and just heat until back to temperature.

Sauce will be pink. :)
Serve hot over Egg Noodles!

Just thought you should know!

Black Magic Canyon

"Gunna go outside today, gunna see what we can find today!"

A friend recommended we go to Black Magic Canyon for our next adventure.

I had never heard of it, and it hadn't come up on any of my "cool places in Idaho" internet searches. We decided to try it, not really knowing what to expect. After driving for about 30 minutes into the middle of nowhere, I was pretty sure we weren't going to find it. After driving for 60 minutes, I began to remark to Barry that we really should have told someone where we were going ...........because we were truly in the back of beyond. After, some pretty rough roads, we came to an old dam and a small open area. SO we parked the car and went out to explore.

After a short walk in the wrong direction, and a longer walk in the right direction. We found it! A little crazy slot canyon in the middle of what looked like a barren wasteland.

We scrambled down into the canyon.  

I had everyone stop so I could take their picture at the beginning of a new adventure!

 

The wind was quite blustery on the surface, so we all dressed warmly. Once we got down in the canyon and sun-warmed rocks, it was quite warm.

A nice bath tub in a cool crevice. Barry asked James to take a bath in it. He declined.

Lot's of scrambling. I was left behind.

 Emma taking a needed rest.

Lauren taking a needed rest???

 

Lauren found a cool cave. If you look close you can see Barry's legs. It went straight up!

 

Stopping for snacks. I think I was the only one that was tired, but they were nice and agreed to stop for awhile.  We found a spot where the canyon had opened up and stopped and rested in the sunshine.

Then, they were off again!

James had stopped and climbed up on a big blouder to empty the little rocks out of his shoe. I caught them for a picture, just in time.

Yep! I was there too. I asked Ellie to take this picture for posterity's sake. James and Emma just randomly added themselves to the picture while Ellie was trying to figure out how to make my camera take a picture.

Mountain goat Lauren. She was tired, but did an awesome job!

No James! Please don't! He did. Another little mountain goat.

There were little pools of water everywhere! Emmy loved them.

She even found Daddy in one and tried to help him out. He didn't fit. He had to go around. :) Ellie, Emma and Lauren had already come up through the hole. James and I went around. We don't like tight places.

Barry placed Emma in a little crevice to help another kid. Emma just sat there and played.

The rocks were amazing. A rock collectors dream! We may, or may not have brought a few samples home. :)

The Giant's NOSE Rock. I asked the kids if they had seen "the nose" rock, and they didn't know what I was talking about. I simply don't see how they could've missed it. :)

We climbed out on top of the canyon for awhile. The water was red-colored from moss.

James said this puddle was the Snake River.

Nobody wanted to wait for slow Mommy.  I was on my own most of the time, and would catch glimpses of the random family members up ahead.

James gave Emma a real cool rock he found. She promptly tossed it in one of these holes. He wasn't about to reach in and grab it.

Up on top again.

Looking back!

Heading back. The kids had laden themselves down with rocks a long the way. At one point I made them drop them on the grass and told them we would come back for them.  I probably had picked up about extra 10 lbs myself.

Lauren was more selective. Just two.
I asked Barry to find us a nice rock that would remind us of the canyon. He found one. It was much larger than I expected, but pretty awesome! He only made it back to the road carrying it a little before I did. ;)
We came home and lined the flower bed with our new treasures.