Aidan's bday Party

We had Aidan's birthday party last Saturday at Mobius Museum and had such a great time. We had around 30 people there and 14 of his closest friends...LOL. We all had cake together and then headed out to play. I still can't believe he is 2!!!!

Now and Later

So I have been on a cooking frenzy for the last month or so. Things with Ryla have finally started to settle down and I have been able to enjoy all the perks that a stay at home mom comes with. To help save a little money, I have been cooking almost every night. I have been LOVING it. Cliff gets home at 5, takes the kiddos downstairs, I turn on some "Friends" and cook away and have a good hour to myself.
When my in-laws were here they surprised us with a deep freezer for Christmas. My father in law brought us a ton of meat from his farm so now we are stocked up!!! My mother in law also got me a cookbook about freezer meals which has been awesome. I made my 4th meal from it tonight. My favorite thing about it is a section called 'Now and Later.' In this section it gives you instructions on how to cook one meal and serve one for dinner that night and freeze the other for later. This is perfect for ANY mom. I finally remembered to take a pic tonight and will take a pic of the other three I did when I get them out of the deep freezer later. I really wanted to share some of the recipes because they have been so delicious. The one I did tonight has been my favorite. Here is a pic of it and also the recipe. If you try it let me know what you think.

CHICKEN POTPIES

4 cups cubed cooked chicken
4 cups frozen Southern-style hash brown potatoes (thawed)
1 package (16 ounces) frozen mixed vegetables, thawed and drained
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of onion soup, undiluted
1 cup milk
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic poweder
1 package (15 ounces) refrigerated pie pastry

1. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, potatoes, vegetables, soups, mik, sour cream, flour and seasonings. Divided between two 9-inch deep-dish pie plates. Roll out pastry to fit the top of each pie. Cut slits in pastry. Place over filling; trim, seal and flute edges.

2. Cover and freeze one potpie for up to 3 months. Bake the second potpie at 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown.

3. To use frozen potpie: Remove from the freezer 30 minutes before baking. Cover edges loosely with foil; place on a baking sheet. Bade at 425 degrees for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees; remove foil and bade 50-55 minutes longer or until golden brown. Yield 2 potpies (6 servings each).

The Birthday Shirt

Last year we put Aidan in one of Cliff's shirts on his first bday so we cold see how big he was. We have decided to do it every year. Here is his last year shot and his second year shot.

Extreme Playdating!

When my mother in law was here she told me that the blogs she enjoyed the best were the ones that showed what we did on a regular basis......So I'm going to try and do more posts about that. Every week I try to see that Aidan has at least one playdate. This week was a special one because all of his friends got to come over at the same time. Aidan always has a great time and it helps get a lot of energy out before nap time. I also love it because I get to catch up with my girlfriends. Here are some pics of how we spent our morning.



Pizza time!

The kiddos letting us take their pic before lunch. We also had 3 babies there!

I wonder what I will be doing this afternoon?

Grandma and Grandpa come for a Visit

It was so fun to have Cliff's parents visit this last week. The kid's were spoiled rotten and enjoyed every second of it. They gave them one really big present which I will post a pic of next week when it is delivered. Here are some pics along with Aidan with his bday cake/pie that I made him.

Can't Believe She's Mine!

3 in 1

I feel very behind in my blogging so I have 3 posts in one tonight and will probably do Christmas tomorrow...... We got our table on Thursday and I love it. It fits so much better in the space. We have had three meals there already with Cliff's parents and we all fit with lots of room. It fits 6 comfortably and when I add the leaf it fits 8. Very fun for having people over.

I also was finally able to catch a pic of Ryla smiling the other day. It is only a half smile but at least I got something on camera.

Finally, we got some window markers for Aidan for Christmas and he has been loving them. I would fully recommend them for all mothers of kiddos this age. They wipe right off and keep him entertained forever. It has been perfect for when I am cooking dinner.