Dinner for Two

Sunday nights are for trying new things. For about three or four years now Chris and I have been trying to have nice dinners (almost) every Sunday evening. We try new recipes and most of the time Chris does the meal planning. Consequently, we usually end up at the grocery store to buy the ingredients by about 4pm Sunday afternoon and the whole dinner process is over by about 8pm. This time we spend together is invaluable. We either really enjoy making these great meals together or the time we spend getting on each others' nerves reminds us of those times we are more at peace with one another! The kids get fed and go to play and Chris and I take over the kitchen, making the biggest mess you have ever seen.

Our menus over the years have included: grilled tuna, various steak dinners, adobo pork, homemade salad dressings, roast beef, acorn squash and tonight we add Tomatillo Enchiladas with spinach, onion, & chicken filling. DELICIOUS! By far, Chris's favorite meals are Mexican delights from his favorite chef, Rick Bayless. It takes Chris two hours to do what the recipe says will take 45 minutes but he doesn't care. His presentation is fabulous and the food (usually) tastes as good as it looks. We work together on the clean-up and I finally am at peace again when the kitchen is returned to it's original condition.

My tummy is full but my taste buds are looking forward to our next Sunday evening adventure.

Wedgie Wednesday

Shock me, shock me... Hannah just took off her oh so cozy fleece pajamas (necessary for the typically unpredicatable North Texas weather). When I asked why she had removed all her clothing except for her panties she replied, "I HAVE A WEDGIE!"

In true Hannah fashion, she refuses to get dressed again stating, "I like being naked girl!"

With Springtime comes....

flowering plants,

beautiful blooms,
and the ever-present snotty nose!

Grocery Ad Tuesday

I don't know about anyone else, but I love the day when the grocery store ads come in the mail. Maybe it is my organized and (thanks to my husband's influence) money conscience nature, but I can't wait to sit down and go through the ads, find the best deals, pull my coupons for the week, plan our meals and make a list of all I need at the store.

If I could talk to myself ten years ago that Jen would wonder what happened to me, what happened to the things that I used to get excited about. But in this place in my life I am loving what I do. I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Come on, who wouldn't get excited about $1.99 milk?!?!

Yeah for Ad Tuesdays!

a fashion lesson

This morning I woke with Hannah in our bed (as we do every now and then). The Fashion Diva noticed that Daddy was getting ready for work. She rolled out of bed and ran into the closet. As Chris was looking for a shirt she asks, "You gonna wear that?" Chris promptly picks another shirt that Hannah will approve of. Any jean will work for casual Friday so Hannah allows Chris to make that decision himself.

Now for shoes! She says "These match" as she picks a pair of casual black shoes for him.
But before a very thankful father can put on the "outfit" Hannah has picked out for him, she puts his shoes on and says "I'm gonna show you how to walk." Chris then goes to get socks and Hannah is struck with a look of absolute concern. "Daddy, you forgot your shoes!" What would his day have been like if Hannah had not been there to remind him to put on those shoes?

I am not sure how we got anything done around here before we had Hannah. I call her "my little narrator." She has something to say about EVERYTHING. Right now as I am typing she knows I am writing a story about her and Daddy and she leans over, hugs the computer and proceeds to talk to the computer as if Daddy can here us on the other side: "I love you. Come home soon. We can't wait to see you."

Hannah has just spoken her trademark phrase "I have an idea!" while pointing one finger in the air. I am now being pulled to go to the playroom. I am off on another adventure with the Great Diva and Super Caleb!

You always remember your first!

Welcome to my first blog! The Sain family is finally entering the blogging world. There will never be anything radical or mind-blowing in these pages, just a few thoughts from our simple life. I am still trying to figure all of this out (formating and template design) but I'm sure my awesome hubby can help me out later. For someone who has no problem talking it will be a challenge for me to get my thoughts into words. So no promises about proper grammar or elequent words but I do look forward to having an outlet (other than sharing my random thoughts with Hannah and Caleb during the day).

Nothing too exciting going on today... Chris is at a confrence and I am being an awesome mother with one child sleeping and the other laying on my bed watching her 2nd, 3rd,.... oh, I don't remember... episode of Dora the Explorer. I did get the yard mowed this morning so that will be my exercise for the day! Looking forward to my pedicure my husband promised I could go get this weekend. I am also looking forward to the time change! I love Day Light Savings! I think I get that daylight depression thing when it is dark when your husband goes to work and when he comes home. I will love being able to play with the kids outside more at night and I am looking forward to my overall attitude improving after I get more sunlight! I however am not looking forward to the two hour time diffrence between Arizona and Texas.

Hannah, Caleb and I just returned from a week-long trip to visit Diana, Josh, Zach, and Chris in Tucson. That was difficult to come back from. We had such an awesome time and for the first time since the Richards left it felt like "normal" (though I missed Chris, who was back in Texas working, terribibly). I know God gives us BFFs for a reason. Though our relationship is made possible by long distance and the internet we can still be there for each other and share our bond of sisterhood in Christ!

The time has come to continue my day.

This was my first... was it as good for you as it was for me?