Buffalo!!!!

Last week we made a weekend trip to Buffalo to visit Laney and Taylor! Taylor graduated with his law degree and urban planning masters.  Woohoo.  congrats!  even more congrats that you got a job :)

Kent had to work and couldn't come (LAME!) so my WONDERFUL parents flew here to Dayton and then drove with the rugrats and me to Buffalo.  Thanks again, mom and dad! I'm not sure I would have made the trip alone!!

Milly was OBSESSED with Metta.  Here they are at their first meeting.  I wish I would have captured metta's face at a better angle.  Milly couldn't get enough holding, kissing, (s)mothering, hugging, etc.  Since the boys are usually pretty hands off with metta- I think she was a little shell shocked by all of the love.

I can't wait for my little sis, metta, to have her baby girl!  the cousins will be an even 3 girls/3 boys!

Of course I got lots of pictures of the kids- and very few of any adults.  But I promise we were all there and had lots of fun and ate lots of delicious food.   

There's this greek restaurant in Buffalo called Pano's and it's AMAZING.  We go every time we are in town.  If you go to Buffalo- it's a must.

Here are the boys having a peeing contest.  Nothing like peeing with your cousins.  Ike is telling me: "STOP! we need privacy!".  It's his favorite thing to say when he goes to the bathroom.

During the actual commencement exercises- I stayed home with all of the rugrats.  Because who wants to go to an almost three hour graduation with five toddlers/babies?!  NOT ME!

Zeb and Henry are such good pals.  Laney lives directly across the street from the Buffalo zoo so we wandered over for awhile while everybody else was at the graduation.

I love this picture. It makes them seem so grown up.

Growing up my cousins were like best friends to me- so I hope my kiddos can have the same relationships with their cousins!!

Here's an actual graduation photo from the big event.  Too bad it's a tacky kissing picture :)

My boys (and laney's kiddos) love when Nannie Annie and gramps are around because it almost always means a hotel with a pool.

and it also means lots of Mcdonalds (much to nannie annie's chagrin!).  I've always associated Mcdonalds with grandpa- and I think my kids will, too.

we went on walks through old historic buffalo to see the frank lloyd wright houses and go yard sale shopping!  I found a super fabulous yard sale with GREAT baby girl clothes.

Zeb loved sitting on Taylor's shoulders and being seven feet tall. literally.

Overall there was just lots of good times. and I am still trying to catch up on sleep!!  I'm so glad that my sister lives close enough for weekend trips!!

We miss everybody already!!

smiling rugrats.

Smiling kiddos are the best thing ever.  Sappy, I know.  but true.

soccer season!!

I ♥ the Ymca.

We just finished our spring soccer season and the boys had so much fun.

Our team- the coaches- everything was awesome.

 Here are some of the teammates.  We are so lucky that Zeb and Ike got to be on the same team!

 Before every game- the kiddos had to recite a ymca good sportsmanship pledge.

 This little Zeb was amazing. I think he scored several times at almost every game- and really got competitive.  We played two teams that were incredibly good for peewee soccer- and we had several conversations about how soccer is more about fun and exercise than winning right now.  Zeb isn't crazy althletic- but his competitive spirit more than makes up for his lacking athleticism.

 Here he is in a breakaway about ready to score!

 He chose number five because he's SOOOO excited to turn five in a couple of weeks.

 Ike is such a turkey. He was definitely the smallest kiddo on the team (just turned three) but he weaseled his way around players and managed a goal or two this season.  and he LOVED his pink cleats.  Cleats in his size are almost impossible to find- and I wasn't about to spend a lot of money to order some. Luckily we found these pink diamond encrusted beauties at a yard sale for one dollar.

 These kiddos get more and more fun the with age!

We can't wait for fall soccer!!

more quinoa and a cute baby.

For whatever reason- even though I really don't like newborns- I miss when my kids stop doing that itty bitty baby stretch where their arms go up and their bums do too.  Miss Metta does the arms still- but the tucked under feet and bum up are mostly gone.  Now she's an infant. Not a newborn. Hallelujah :)  and her 'crazy eyes' are far less common.

She'll give us cute happy eyes instead.

Does anybody know of anywhere to buy the teeny boys that I glue to her head?!  I don't think I could pull off making them.  I can't tie big bows and make them look nice- so my teeny ones would be a disaster.  Laney got them at some little store in Cottonwood, Utah, years ago- but I only have a few so I need more.

and I'm still trying lots of new recipes with quinoa.  this time: Hawaiian Haystacks!  Super easy and very tasty.  My trick is to always cook the quinoa with chicken stock and not just water.  Top it with tomatoes, onions, peppers, fresh pineapple, crunchy noodles, broccoli, and sauced chicken.  Voila. super good.

My sis says she thinks I should try bulgur wheat in all of my quinoa recipes.  I think I'll give it a try this week.

mr smarty pants

CONGRATS GRADUATE!!

Zeb had preschool graduation last night and it was a blast.  It sure is nice that not only does Zeb have great friends- but his friends have great moms!   the graduation was a great reason to laugh with friends and eat good food.

 This kiddo is willing and ready for kindergarten come this august.  I can't wait to help him with homework and read books with him and see him grow.

this group of kiddos sure was fun to get to know this year!  and graduation was so much fun.  Kent was even able to be there!

 Here are Zeb's pals Quincy and Ethan- with Barrick in the back :)  I never take enough pictures at these types of events.  I'm way too busy talking to friends!

 Zeb LOVED the little yearbook that one of the moms made.  He has been looking at it all day today still.

 and Ike loved the food. We've got to watch out for this kiddo and his appetite. He's going to be our little chunk if we're not careful.

 I have the coolest kids.  they are so funny. and totally weird.  Today Zeb and Ike were in the car having an argument about who loves whom the most.  Zeb says he loves me way more than Ike loves Kent.  Ike loves kent "super 100" and Zeb loves me "super above infinity".  Kent says Ike wins because Zeb's number isn't real.

Ike is such a goof ball.  always making funny faces and saying the weirdest stuff. If you ask him what his name is- he'll say: "Ike Miller poopy pants".   He knows just how to push the limits and even though bathroom words are off limits- I can't help but giggle when he says it.

This is our very favorite Ike face.  I tell him to act surprised or excited and this is what he does.  so so funny.

Zeb is being such a good brother to metta spaghetta. He always asks to hold her and loves to make her smile.   Isn't this picture so stinking cute?!

he reads books to Ike every day and is such a champ at cleaning. I love that he can clean his room and the toy room all by himself.  And he's such a good teacher to Ike.  He loves to be the big brother boss.

and this metta.  So so cute. and so so good.   We were so spoiled with our two baby boys that her nasty weeks almost did me in.  There were only about four of them- but those four were ROUGH.

 She's totally chunking up- finally! and that means she's sleeping better at night! no more midnight feedings.

 She's also spoiled rotten and has never worn the same outfit to church more than once.  That's ten dresses. and I'm sure she'll get more when we go to buffalo to visit the Hawes :)

 I tried to get a picture of her little fuzzy head here. Her hair all fell out and is now growing in like perfect little peach fuzz.

my three favorite healthy recipes as of late.

 I've been doing my very best the past four weeks to eat super healthy.  I've been doing an almost strictly vegetarian (and low dairy diet). I have a MAJOR sweet tooth and retraining it is no easy task!  Last week I ate two ENTIRE pineapples by myself. I've also been scouring the internet for great recipes to keep me excited about eating this way :)

Thanks to pinterest- I've found some super amazing and fabulous menu items. These are three of my recent favorites. I was super lazy and didn't take any of my own pictures- but surprisingly the recipes are super easy to recreate and looked pretty darn similar.


#1 Quinoa and veggie cakes from "exclusively food".
These were sooooooooooo good.  I loved them.  even cold the next morning for breakfast.

Of course- I made several changes. The biggest being more veggies and quinoa instead of rice.  I've included my recipe here.

1.5 cups prepared quinoa

1 small/medium grated zucchini (leave peel on)
1 small chopped onion
1 tsp garlic crushed
3/4 cup grated carrot
1 cup finely chopped fresh spinach
2 large eggs (I used egg substitute)
1/3 c parmesean cheese

1-2 cups steamed broccoli chopped small

freshly diced tomatosivelyfood.com.au

saute all veggies in large saucepan for 5-10 minutes until all are soft.
Remove saucepan from heat and transfer vegetable mixture to a large bowl. Stir in cooked quinoa. Allow mixture to cool for 10 minutes.
Stir eggs and parmesan cheese into rice mixture. Spray muffin pan cups and fill (about 6-8) with firmly packed mixture.

bake 25-30 minutes at 375.  top with freshly diced tomatoes and sweet chili sauce.

#2.  sweet potato slices!!!  this one isn't much of a recipe but it's DELICIOUS.  from edible perspective.  I could eat these every day of the week.  honestly.

1. Preheat oven to 350*
2. Slice sweet potatoes ~1/2” thick
3. Lightly coat with olive oil + a sprinkling of salt (or brown sugar!!!)
4. Bake for 20min [turning once]
5. Turn heat to 400*
6. Bake for ~15-20min more [turning once]

#3 Baked Veggie egg rolls.   

from "for the love of cooking"  These were so delicious and amazing. and not fried!!  I could have eaten all fourteen. I've made them three times now.

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 cups of savoy cabbage, chopped
• 2 cups of shredded carrots
• 2 cups of bean sprouts
• 1 can of water chestnuts, chopped
• 2 tbsp green onions, sliced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp corn starch
• 1/4 cup water
• 14 egg roll wraps
• Sweet chili dipping sauce or sweet and sour sauce (for dipping)

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot add the cabbage, sprouts, carrots, chestnuts and ginger to the pan and cook, stirring frequently for 4-5 minutes, until the vegetables just begin to wilt but still remain a little bit crisp. Mix the corn starch with the water and mix thoroughly. Add the corn starch mixture and soy sauce to the pan along with the green onions. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and let cool.
Place two tablespoons of the cooled mixture on the center of the egg roll wrap. Fold the bottom up over the filling. Next, fold the two sides over, making it look like an envelope, then roll it up like a burrito.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place the rolled up egg rolls on a baking sheet. Once you have rolled them all, spray the top of each egg roll with cooking spray.
Place in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes then turn them over. Bake for an additional 5-7 minutes or until crispy and golden brown. Serve with sweet chili sauce or sweet and sour sauce. Enjoy.