Fathers and Sons

Mac and McKay had another smashing success at Fathers and Sons. I tried to get McKay to take Brad but that would be fun for... ummm... no one. Next year though, he is going! This year they slept in a tent instead of the van so it was much more official. Love, love, love this cute little boy. His smile will just melt your heart! Mac and some of his new BFFs.

Lots more fun memories of Fathers and Sons to come. McKay said they were going to pick up some food on the way up there. I let the girls pick where we were going to eat that night too. So we ended up seeing each other at McDonald's! Quite unexpected. Ahhh, the places you end up when the kids are picking!

First Grade Art Show

Anna had a great art show at school. The best part, according to Anna, was the ice cream at the end. Anna with her teacher Mrs. Huntting.

Her desk with her artwork. (Side note: Anna won a pencil grip from her teacher for having the straightest name plate at the end of the year. No big surprise for our very neat girl!)

Rachel being interviewed

Click Here to see a Video of Rachel being interviewed.

I have no words

This is definitely going to rank up there with one of the craziest things I have ever done. I was looking through the paper the other day and noticed a little blurb that if you entered the California Strawberry Festival recipe contest you got a free ticket to the festival. Every year we talk about going to the festival (it is only 15 mins from our house) but our Saturdays fill up so fast we never end up going. I thought if I had a free ticket (they are $12) we would end up going. So I entered a recipe (had to be an original) and waited for my free ticket to come. Well... Sunday night a lady called me and told me I had been selected as a finalist and could I come Tuesday to the Marriott in Oxnard for a mini Iron Chef preparing my recipe?! Hello?!? Wasn't expecting that phone call. I said sure and immediately began freaking out. I had only made my recipe once and I liked it but the kids told me I definitely wouldn't win. McKay told me to just have fun and chalk it up to experience. So today I arrived at the hotel 30 minutes before the contest is supposed to start (we had one hour to prepare our non-baked dishes.) I was the last contestant (there were four others - sorry for all of the parenthesis - I can't write, just cook) to arrive and my first thought was 'I am so out of my league.' I was intimidated just by the titles of others recipes. One guy has won over $75,000 in recipe contests and one lady enters 10-15 contests a month! Everyone was super nice though and I thought what the heck - here goes nothing! My recipe was Strawberry Bruschetta with Lemon Cream. Pretty simple. Here is my little station at the kitchen. I didn't take many pictures but here are a few of my dish.

I have always hated the mint that grows rampantly in our yard but this morning I was loving it!

We also got judged on presentation so Lorraine saved me with the flowers and red fabric. The pitcher is a wedding gift I had never used but is now my favorite wedding gift ever!

So the end of this story is...

I AM A FINALIST! I will participate in a live cook-off at the California Strawberry Festival with one other contestant next Saturday in front of hundreds of people. AHHHH! Like I said this is one of the craziest things I have ever done. I am nervous and excited. I feel so lucky and honored my recipe was chosen. We will see what happens. Stay tuned...

oh ya... the winner gets a CRUISE! I am trying not to think about that.

Just in case you are curious, here is the recipe: (try not to be too shocked it is in the finals) :)

Strawberry Bruschetta with Lemon Cream

1 baguette
3-4 T butter, softened
3-4 T white sugar
2 C diced strawberries
1 ½ t balsamic vinegar
2 t honey
½ c whipped cream cheese
1 t. lemon zest

1. Slice baguette in ½ to ¾ inch slices. Butter one side.
2. Toast bread in a frying pan over medium heat until golden brown. Sprinkle with sugar.
3. Combine whipped cream cheese and lemon zest. Spread about 1 t over each slice of toasted bread.
4. Combine strawberries, balsamic vinegar, and honey. Spoon about 1 T over bread with lemon cream.
5. ENJOY!

Ragnar Relay 2010

I don't even know where to begin! This was one of the most fun/amazing/incredible experiences of my life. I participated in a relay race from Ventura to Dana Point. That is 200.4 miles! Each member of our team ran three legs of the race. Each leg was about 3 to 10 miles long. My legs were 5.3 miles from Moorpark to Simi Valley, 7 miles from the Santa Monica Peir to Manhattan Beach, and 6.1 miles in Huntington Beach. Our team started at 6:30 am on Friday morning and we didn't finish until 8:00 pm Saturday night. We were supposed to get some sleep in there but I am sleep challenged so I didn't sleep a wink. We pulled our sleeping bags out on the Santa Monica pier (there were lots of others 'sleeping' there as well.) Some members of my team actually slept but I just kept thinking "I am on the Santa Monica Peir in a sleeping bag trying to sleep." Ya, I never slept. Plus I was the next runner so I was getting anxious about my next run at 2 am! Our team captain's awesome son came and rode his bike with me so I wouldn't be alone with all the bums on Venice Beach. I gotta admit that during the race I was thinking in my mind "never will I do this again!" But after the race I was thinking "bring it on for next year!" The running was fun but the BEST part was driving in the van with 5 other awesome ladies and having a great time.

Our team was the Dust Bunnies. I never ran in my bunny ears but I did run with the bunny tail - it made me faster.

A middle of the night exchange at Redondo Beach.

Here is my running my last leg (notice my bunny tail.) The last four miles were pretty rough - they were down a canal in Huntington. BORING! Plus I was pooped. But it was a huge rush finishing all of my runs.

Our awesome team Captain Debbie. She was sooo much fun and ran the longest leg in our van: 8.8 almost at the end.

Celebrating by the surfer statue.

We debated cheating (not running all of our legs) but we didn't! WE DID IT!!!! We were one of the last teams to finish but we finished! Honestly! A good chunk of teams didn't finish so we were pretty proud of ourselves. Our goal next year is to finish in the light.

I was a little sore on Sunday but not too bad. I am so glad I did it. I will definitely remember this forever. Thanks gals!

The Little Red Hen

Carly's kindergarten class put on the Little Red Hen play. Carly was really excited because she got the part of the Little Red Hen. She practiced her lines a lot and did a fabulous job! By the time we saw the play even Mac had all the songs and lines memorized. It is an adorable play and we were really proud of our Little Hen! This is Alisa's scrapbook page that I took from her blog - thanks Alisa!

The other kids got to sit down during the play but Carly reminded us she had to stand up the whole time. That was an important/hard job!

Great job Carly Cars!

Crazy Hair Day

This is what we came up with for this year! Carly couldn't help herself and had to pose for the pictures. Such cutie pies.

End of an Era

Mac got these Lightning McQueen shoes for his second birthday and he has LOVED them. I must admit I am not the biggest fan of character shoes but his love for these shoes was pretty sweet. I think he thought he was invincible while wearing them. As you can see he wore them with a lot of heart, clear through to his socks. I was sad to see them go! I felt like I was throwing out part of his childhood. But, it was time to move on! We didn't keep the shoes but I had to take some pictures to remember them.

Note the bald tires.

Happy Birthday Brad!

Our Bubba is one! On one hand this year has flown by, but on the other hand it feels like he has been in our family forever. His latest big accomplishment is mastering walking. While we were in Utah he decided he was done crawling and has been walking ever since. I love this picture - he looks like he is about to punch the air really hard.

It can be challenging getting a picture of Brad since he LOVES to try and grab the camera.

Memories from the first year: that cute little baby laugh, a CAT scan, a chipped tooth, not sleeping through the night, loves yogurt, strawberries, and peas, loves playing the piano and being outside, loves swinging at the park, loves his brother and sisters, and of course loves being held!

Easter

Easter is one of my favorite days of the year. I have so many fun memories of Easter at my Grandparents house. It always smelled so good and Grandma always had a special treat for us. We had a great time celebrating Easter in Utah with family. It was a tad cold but that is Easter in Utah for ya! The cold didn't phase the kids during the Easter Egg hunt. It is amazing how searching for candy can just warm you right up.

Mac has caught on to the 'get as much candy as you can as fast as you can' philosophy of Easter Egg hunting. Brad, not so much.

He was happy with his one green egg. He thought it was a ball and kept throwing it and laughing. Finding eggs everywhere!

Analyzing the loot. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa McAllister for such a wonderful Easter!