Roasted Garlic and Tomato Soup

I made this soup last night for dinner and we LOVED it. Robert said it was better than any soup they've made at any restaurant he's worked at. The recipe calls for a lot of red pepper flakes but I only added about half of what it calls for. It was still pretty spicy and I think next time I might just eliminate them altogether. But do whatever floats your boat. I got it from Tasty Kitchen, so here's the link: Fiery Roasted Garlic and Tomato Soup. I also might reduce the number of croutons used to make the soup more soupy. It's pretty thick and hearty as the recipe has it written, but if that's what you want, go for it.

My first time

We got new couches this week. In typical I Love Lucy fashion, when we walked into our living room after picking out the couches, we were disgusted. The end tables I once lovingly picked out on Craigslist, the mixed and matched "entertainment center" that we previously has taken pride in, were now eye sores. One day they were beloved, the next they were scorned. Like Lucy, I could not possibly be able to purchase all new furniture. So, instead we bought some stain, I broke out the sander, I rolled up my sleeves, and went to work. In less than 24 hours (and in between meal times, nursings, during nap times, and after the park), I turned this:

into this:

Only one end table, two bookshelves, and a TV stand to go! (Okay, maybe one end table and then we'll see.) I think it turned out pretty well for my first time ever tackling a project like this myself.

Next, I'll showcase our new couches! They're wonderful. :)

Guess who's almost six months old?! In a couple of weeks, a half year will have passed since my little baby came into the world. I am truly amazed. But I always say that. I usually wait until after the six month mark before starting a baby on solids, but this little guy has been different. For a couple of weeks now he has been so interested when we are eating. If he's sitting on my lap and I put something in my mouth, he practically breaks his neck as he flings himself backward and twists his head around to watch me do it. On top of that, other things have been changing with him. He used to sleep between 5-8 hours a night without waking up for a feeding. Lately, I can barely get him to go four hours. Also, he used to never blow out diapers. They were just more...solid. Now, though, they are getting more icky and he's been blowing out several times a week. It's almost as if his body is using up anything "solid". Anyway, long story short, (actually, I gave you the long story and now I will repeat it in a shorter version, making it longer altogether :)) I think he's ready for solids.

Last night I started with the basic: rice cereal mixed with water. Grant thought it was great. He loved mushing it around in his mouth. He didn't eat much, but it was a start. :)

Craig wanted to take some pictures but all the ones he got of Grant eating were blurring since Grant moves so much. Then he took this one of Ethan and me. I've had my hair cut and this is little preview of my bangs. Stay tuned for more on another day.

He's so happy...I guess he liked it.

Fun at the bowling alley with kids

So, we took the boys bowling. Of all the things I imagined could happen (rather, of all the things that could go wrong), I never could have guessed what transpired that night. In the end, it really was fun and worth doing again, the bowling part I mean. Just another night in our lives with children. They make life an adventure, that's for sure. Here's the low down:

We were on our way to the bowling alley at about 5:30 and as a last minute thought, Robert called our home teacher/friend to see if he wanted to meet us there with his two girls. They said they would be there. Right about then, Craig said his stomach was hurting, but nothing came of it. When we got to the bowling alley, I took him to the bathroom with me. After saying his stomach was hurting again but insisting he didn't have to poop, he pooped. In his pants. Just a little, but it still meant he needed clean underwear and pants, of which I had neither. Of all the three boys that I should have been prepared with extra clothes and diapers for, Craig was the least of my concerns. I pulled the only diaper I had out of the diaper bag (one of Grant's, a #3, of course) and stretched it around Craig. He laughed and said it was really small.

Our friends had just come and Craig was insisting he felt better now (he had gone more on the potty) and cried when I said we had to go home to get him some clean clothes. We were about 15 to 20 minutes from home. By now, Grant was getting hungry but I had to rush out and find the nearest Walmart or Target to buy some diapers and pants. We had no idea where either was in the neighborhood. I have never encountered a location in the entire Greater Phoenix area that was more than a mile from either a Walmart or Target, until last night.

I went to leave when Ethan began to cry, so I took him with me. I got to the door, but realized Robert had the keys. Ethan started crying and saying he wanted to go bowling with Daddy. Sigh. After getting the keys and driving within one block of Walmart, I realized that Robert had the debit card. I turned around and went back. I got the debit card, got to Target (after realizing that there was a Target closer than the Walmart I was originally going to go to), got the stuff, and went back. By the time I got back to the bowling alley, Grant was screaming (no one could hear him among all the bowling noise, but it was still sad), but the kids were having a great time. Craig LOVES bowling, even when wearing his baby brother's diaper with no pants and bowling shoes. Robert got Craig changed and dressed, I fed Grant, we bowled a game, ate popcorn, and the one I was most worried about being hard to handle (Ethan) occupied himself by playing with the arcade games by our seats and cheering for everyone. A night that started off badly and, if it weren't for our friends showing up, would not have happened at all, turned out well.

I still don't know what the problem was with Craig. The only thing I can think is that he had had several cups of juice that day and one the day before. Before he was potty trained, I used to have to limit and water down his juice intake because it would make him have really nasty diapers. While he was potty training, giving him a cup of juice helped him go. I think this time he had just had too much.

Anyway, I'm sure you don't want to know anymore about that. But, like I said, life with kids is an adventure and this one turned out alright in the end. No pun intended.

Happenings

I haven't been great about taking pictures lately and documenting life. I am sitting here, watching Fraiser on Netflix, and taking this opportunity to update my online "journal" (and you, my friends and family) on what we're doing over here in the Leal household.

About a week and a half ago, Robert started his classes online with BYU-Idaho. He's taking a few generals, but most importantly he's taking the first part of Human Anatomy and Physiology. It's a really challenging class and he's really dedicated to pulling an A out of it. We're really excited about this new chapter in our lives. We've found a great little house in Rigby and plan on moving sometime around the 29th of Feb. or the 1st of March (right after we see Wicked on the 28th--there's so much to look forward to in life!). It's right next door to some people we knew in Montana, too! I dread the moving process, but I am excited for being reunited with some old friends up there. I really loved Rexburg and the years I spent there.

My classes started last Monday. I am taking all the rest of my EDU courses so I can do my student teaching this next fall. It's only 13 credits, but for someone who's been taking 6-7 credits every semester for the last three years, it seems a bit daunting. I can do it, though, since much of the time commitment for this semester is in practicum hours that I plan to have done before we leave. Robert and I have been trying harder, though, to spend some quality time together. We went bowling a couple of nights ago for the first time in a VERY long time and it was really a lot of fun. I think it just might become our standard date night activity. Especially since now we're moving near Rexburg and cheap bowling at the school. :) What's this world coming to, anyway, when you have to pay $4 per person per game, plus the cost of shoes? We also spent $.75 on a game of pool which I enjoyed more than I thought I would.

Craig is growing up, thank goodness. He's becoming more cooperative every day. He has his bad days and moments, of course, but I have a feeling that we've come out of the woods from the terrible twos and threes. He'll be four in a few months and I think this might be our best year together, yet. I love that he can take direction and can understand why things have to be certain ways. He asks a thousand questions per second and one of his favorite things to do is torment Ethan and making him scream. But that's what brothers are for.

Ethan is certainly embracing his two-ness. He is still a sweet, cuddly little boy, though. Craig was all physicality at that age and Ethan thinks everything is a game---usually "Chase." Every nap time, bed time, lunch time, grocery trip, and Sacrament meeting turns into "You Can't Get Me." The worst part is his little laugh is so infectious, it's hard not to smile back and inadvertently encourage him. And it's the saddest thing in the world to have to put him in time out when he actually does something wrong...like the time he whacked Craig so hard on the head with a Wonder Pets Fly Boat that it actually bled (Craig was antagonizing him, but still). Ethan is so wounded when he's in trouble. It is a little refreshing though. When Craig got into trouble at that age, he would just think our stern voices and frowning at him was funny and laugh at us. I don't know where he got that from. :)

Grant, of course, is adorable. Plain and simple. He's getting really interactive now. He turned five months old this last week. He's really gotten into toys and noticing things going on around him. He's a pro at sitting in his exersaucer thing and pushing the buttons and turning the little disco ball. He gets excited and very vocal when he sees me and is a sweet, hug-able, loving, perfect little baby. His sleeping habits have changed, though. From day one, most nights of the week he'd go to sleep at about eight and I wouldn't hear from him until almost three or four in the morning. Now, though, about four nights a week he'll wake up to eat at 11 and then again at four. Then he'll stir at about 6am, but I can bring into bed with me and get him to sleep until about 7:30, if Craig and Ethan let us go that long.

All in all, things are moving along in life. I guess you can see why I haven't been posting much lately. There's not much to report. I find myself taking each day one at a time, moment by moment. I've discovered that's the only way I can remain sane and maintain a shred of patience with three little kids and full time school. I know plenty of people out there who are dealing with a lot more in life than me, and I guess it's that thought that keeps me going and it keeps me from too much self-pity. In fact, it's that thought that makes me look beyond the moments and at the big picture of things to see all my blessings and all the good moments of every day and overlook the trials. Like today, for example. Robert had to spend the day at the hospital with his mom and some serious medical problems of hers (another factor of life we've been dealing with lately) so I had to go at it alone at church. Moments were tough (like dragging Craig literally kicking and screaming down the hall to primary), but the overall experience turned out better than one would expect. The best part was when I was visiting with another mom in the mother's lounge. She and her husband recently adopted a baby with Downs Syndrome back in August after nine years of trying to have their own children. She has been really struggling with adapting to life as a new mom (after only about a week ofg preparation when most of us have nine months to prepare) and the health troubles and scares that come with this particular little boy. On top of that, she miraculously became pregnant so she has been dealing with all of these things among all the hormones and sickness that comes with it. Of course they're extremely happy, but it's a trying time in life nonetheless. She then says to me how impressed she is with how well I handled the boys by myself today and she enjoys watching me during church because I have such patience with them. I have to be honest and tell her that what she sees at church is BY FAR my best behavior and don't be deceived by my composure. But I must admit, hearing her tell me that watching me gives her confidence--that if I can handle three boys under the age of four in Sacrament meeting then she feels like she can do what this next year has in store for her, too. What is life about, if not that? Gaining confidence and learning from others around us, living each moment the best we can (which is sometimes not good at all), only to find that we in turn help lift and inspire others just by doing the best we can each moment.

Well, I think I have waxed philosophical long enough. Kudos to those of you who have made it all the way through this post. I think this one is definitely more for posterity than anything else, but here it is anyway. Thanks for listening. (Gosh, I've been watching too much Frasier.)

The first week of 2012

It has been quite a week over here at our house. The above picture was the last carefree picture taken before The Onset. We hadn't braved a real restaurant with the kids in a very long so we decided to go out to Joe's Crab Shack one night early this week. We'd never been there and the kids like shrimp and such, so we thought it would be a good choice. Robert got a crab pot of crustaceans and here he is with one of his victims. Craig thought it was great. He loves visiting the live lobsters at the grocery store so I wasn't sure how he was going to take it. Surprisingly (or not), he had no problem watching Robert dismember and consume one of Craig's little water-buddies. The night went well, for the most part. As well as can be expected. It was a picnic compared to what came next.

That night, and for the next week, someone was throwing up. It started with Craig, then me, then Ethan, and finally Robert, who actually got by with only a touch of the virus. Grant had an extra icky spit up yesterday and he was kind of fussy, but I think that's the extent of it for him. The day I was sick I was totally out of commission. The kids seemed to deal with playing and throwing up between games like it was nothing. I, however, was laid out on the couch or in bed the entire day, barely able to move. Where does all the energy go when you grow up? I have never felt this bad with the stomach flu before and I am certain it's because it's the first time I've had since hitting 30. They say that physically, it all goes down hill from here. Great.

I was lucky that Robert didn't get hit as hard as the rest of us (he's only 29) so he was able to step in and be "mom". He really helped out a lot and I was able to get the rest I needed. I still feel a little queasy and I'm on day three, I think. That's the worst part of it, for me. The queasiness is lingering. On the up side, I've lost five pounds!

Well, that's the report from me and the boys for now. Today is Craig's first primary party! I can't believe he's in primary already. Before I know it, I'll be posting about his first day at school. But enough of that. On to the primary party!

Christmas Train

We went back to our favorite train park this year for a Christmas train ride. The boys loved it so much last year and it really got us into the holiday spirit. We thought the line was long last year, but this year was MUCH more difficult. We got through it, though, and had fun. It was chilly out that night, but we were bundled up and ready for the worst winter weather we've experienced in Arizona so far: temperatures in the 40s!


While waiting in line, they have some little distractions for the kids.


Our turn, finally! I don't know how many times I said to Craig that night, "We have to stay here and wait our turn." But when our turn came, boy, was he excited!

I really hope there are some miniature trains somewhere nearby where we'll be living in Idaho. These kids just love 'em and they're all over down here.

December 23--Mesa Temple

I wanted to do something on the 23rd this year to commemorate Joseph Smith's birthday, so we decided to make that the night we went to see the temple lights. I love having a temple close by so we can do this every year and am looking forward to moving to Rigby so can go to TWO temples next year. Who knows...maybe we'll even make the trek to Salt Lake (pun intended) to see those lights. I've never been there at Christmas. It really helped me get into the spirit of Christmas. It's always so beautiful. It was actually a little chilly, too, that night and almost the whole week before Christmas.

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I think it's funny what the flash does to Grant's eyes--it makes him look like a deer in the headlights.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

Originally, we had planned on having Christmas at home and bringing my mother in law down from Show Low (about three hours away) for a week. That all changed, however, when she had an emergency surgery about two weeks before Christmas. So, instead of doing the stockings, traditional breakfast (pigs in a blanket, orange juice, and fruit salad), opening presents, and later the Christmas feast, we had to break things up a bit. When we decided to change our plans, we had already bought all the stuff for Christmas dinner. So, instead of doing Christmas DAY dinner, we did a Christmas EVE dinner and invited some friends over. I must say, I loved it. I loved having a whole extra day to dedicate to Christmas and to anticipate the day to come. We opened our pajamas that night, too. Doing it this way made dinner on Christmas day really simple and easy--when all you want to do is relax and enjoy your family.

Robert did most of the dinner. He made prime rib (something we get once a year and has become our Christmas tradition), asparagus, green bean casserole, lobster tails (an experiment that didn't turn out to be worth it), and funeral potatoes. I made two things: sweet potato casserole and a pecan pie. Of course we had Martinellis and my family's traditional croissants. It was fabulous! And, I must say, there are some great things you can do with prime rib leftovers.


Christmas morning, we opened the stockings at home before heading up to Show Low. It gave Craig and Ethan some things to play with in the car.

On Christmas day, we took our presents and our traditional breakfast to my mother in law's house. She lives in a tiny little apartment so we were all very nice and cozy and close together during the day. :) The boys wanted to play with everything at once, of course, so we decided to just let them open one thing and play with it until they got bored and started getting into things (like her fish tank). Then, we would pack up that toy and have them open another one. It worked really well. By the time they got through opening everything, they had forgotten about the first present.


Grant, as usual, was an angel. Robert is sitting in his mother's death-trap recliner that took up about half the living room. That thing was a beast.


The first thing they opened was their new train set. They love it and still play with it 90% of the time.

The best part of going to Robert's mom's house was that we had snow on Christmas! The boys loved throwing snowballs and running in the snow. Craig keeps talking about it and says he wants it to snow. We just keep telling him that in a couple of months, we'll be in Idaho and he'll have PLENTY of snow. For now, we're liking the 80 degree weather. :)