Heres to a Great Man

A collage of pictures over the years!

Just wanted to wish my daddy a happy birthday. I can only hope to be as good as a parent as he is to me, Kelsy, Kailey and Quinnlan. He is not only my dad but a great friend. I love him so much and enjoyed celebrating yesterday with him and our family. Happy birthday! We love you

6 years and going strong

On Saturday September 25th, 2004 Bryan and I said I do. It was such an amazing day spent with so many wonderful people. We enjoyed a couple years being just the two of us. Dinner dates, movie nights, nights on the town, but in the fall of 2006 we had our first child, Mr. Bayler McClane. Our relationship changed not for the worse, just a change that made us make sure we always had time for one another. And now adding Miss Braxton in fall of 2009 we really have to make an effort to never loose the love that brought this family together. I am excited for a date night involving a movie and night on the town. I love you Bryan even more than the day we said I do. You are my husband, father of my children, but most important my very best friend!

Multi tasking

Taco pizza

Braxton enjoyed the pizza bake

Pizza Bake

(sorry the family already started dinner before I could get the pic)

Many years ago my mom gave me some advice that has stuck with me since. Now no this is not a life lesson speech just a simple idea that I love. On Sundays if you have time in the kitchen, preparing meals for the upcoming week. Meals that just need to be baked, warmed up, etc. Well this weekend I did just that. I bought several pounds of hamburger meat and had a couple recipes I wanted to try out. So I just cooked all the meat and made one dish and put the remaining cooked hamburger meat in the fridge for the next day. My first meal was a pizza bake.

Pizza Bake:
Elbow macaroni
hamburger meat
1/3 chopped onion
pepperoni slices
sliced mushrooms
tomato sauce
olives (if desired)
Italian season packet
Shredded Mozzarella

Cook meat add mushrooms and onions. Add remaining ingredients. Cook noodles as directed. Mix all together in a casserole dish. I sprayed mine with non stick cooking spray. Preheat oven at 350. Top casserole with shredded mozzarella cheese and bake 20 minutes .

Second meal

Taco Pizza:

Hamburger meat
Taco packet
Rotel
Can of pinto beans
Green onion chopped
8 flour tortilla
Shredded cheese
(I added velveeta to the top of the tortillas to make cheesier - I know not fattening at all )

Cook meat, add season packet NO WATER, add remaining ingredients (not cheese)
Layer tortillas on cooking sheet (spray with nonstick cooking spray)
Spoon topping on evenly add cheese bake at 400 for 5 - 10 minutes. Yummy

Wowzers

We had a very busy weekend. Bryan and I are trying to undo a problem we made (letting Braxton sleep in our bed) so the week itself had been restless. So I over slept on Friday which made Bayler miss school (not a happy camper). Then we had a soccer game that evening. My mom watched the kiddos for a couple hours so we could meet up with some friends, totally needed that! Then Saturday we were at a bday part by 10:30 at the Orr Family Farm. If you have never been you must make it a have to do. Especially during the pumpkin patch season. We then ate a quick lunch, changed in the car, and were off to another soccer game. Bay's team all received medals. They were so excited. Then we ate a quick dinner, changed into non sweaty clothes, and were off to Amanda's surprise 18th birthday party. It was so fun and so good to see everyone. The kids were exhausted so we had to cut the evening short. So our Sunday was just a very slow relaxing day. We actually swam in our pool (thanks to Oklahoma's heat it wasn't too cold). Had an amazing dinner and then an early bedtime hour. Great weekend :) Hope you all had one as well.

Happy Birthday Amanda

Just wanted to wish my sister-in-law a Happy Birthday. She is such an amazing young lady. I can't believe she is 18. We love her so much and are so proud of what an outstanding woman she is becoming. She is someone who is a great role model for young girls out there, I know Braxton will look up to her. We are going to dinner tonight to celebrate can't wait!!!!!!

Taco Tuesday

My mom came up with a wonderful idea (I am all for traditions) she thought we should make every Tuesday taco inspired meals. She is done the last 3 so I thought it was my turn.

Taco Soup:
Hamburger meat
Black beans
White shoepeg corn
Rotel
Taco Seasoning
Ranch Seasoning

Cook and drain your meat and then add ingredients. You can add additional cans/seasoning depending on how much you would like to make. Garnish with sour cream, salsa, shredded cheese, tortillas strips, and avocados. Very simple yet so delicious. I will keep you post on our Taco Tuesdays menus!

Part 2 Bayler's Party

Us girls posing

She's a cutie

Gotta love our cowboy boots

Party Pic

Sweet Miss Braxton

Part 1 Bayler's Party

Finally cooperating with pictures

Hiding from all of the attention

Hiding from everyone singing Happy Birthday

Out having fun with his buddies

Finally a family pic

Enjoying the moments

Bayler and I this 4th of July

Having our mommy/daughter day

I loved this and still do

So Miss Braxton and I are getting our one on one time together while Bayler goes to school. It is hard when I have both kids to give them each all of my attention so I enjoy anytime I get to share with them alone. Bayler is growing up so fast and enjoys our time together by reading or playing games. Braxton loves when I play with her on the ground and then the obvious just holding her. Some of the easiest things in life yet I feel I don't do any of them enough. My goal for my relationships with my children is to always be close and as they get older to build a friendship as I have done with my parents. So I had to share my senior page my mom made me and it pretty much sums up what I hope for with my babies.

The day my world changed!

On this day four years ago God gave me such a special gift. My son Bayler. I couldn't even explain the instant love that filled our hearts. I can remember this day just as if it was yesterday. I remember the doctor giving Bayler to Bryan and Bryan was so nervous he carried Bay over to the nurses in a football hold. He has filled our life with such joy everyday since. Happy Birthday to such an amazing little man in my life.

More pics

What a wonderful day

We had family and friends over to eat ribs and watch football. It was so much fun, the weather was wonderful and our Cowboys played an amazing game. Can't wait for all the fun things that come with the Fall season. Forgive two posts I can't get all my pics on one post!