Closing Out 2016

Thankful to have wrapped up this year with many friendly faces, much football, and a ton of being home with my little family.  

Kiddos squeezed in one last campout.

I grabbed another handful of clouds that were close enough to touch.

We spent time with old friends - some local, some swinging through from out of town - the Graffs, the Taylors, and the Ramseys.  Noah even got to spend an afternoon with pals William and Jonas. Such encouraging friendships!  We got so caught up in conversations that I entirely forgot to grab pics, save for this one that Jill caught of Ross bouncing Lasa on his knee until she just about fell asleep.  Funny moment.

Speaking of dear friends, I just can't bring myself to take down the cards that came this month.  Taking my time...

I captured this precious moment where baby laid her milk on the fridge and turned to me saying, "Shhhhhhh."  I melt.

I love this new addition to our living room and how many musical moments have been spent here in just one week and will continue to be spent here.  Josh and the kids can't get enough.  And I kinda love the sight of sheet music laying open.  Josh is teaching the kids himself, since we aren't in a position to pay out the wazoo for piano lessons. :}  

 Our second fridge came today and it is beautiful - black stainless steel that thankfully matches the slate of the other pieces well.  Problem is, it won't run water through it ... so they are ORDERING US ANOTHER FRIDGE.  Oh dear God, please let 2017 bring an end to our appliance woes.  

We are home and chillin' on this New Year's Eve.  Noah and Anna have assigned themselves the project of staying up til midnight and they think it's just the coolest thing that we are letting them.  Wish them luck!  We shall see how that party goes.  Josh, who is already tired at 8:30 votes that we clock out when the ball drops in the eastern time zone.  HA! We have more football to watch, some glasses of sparkling juice to enjoy,  cookies baking in the oven as I type, and some board games on the agenda for after Lasa has gone to bed.  

It's been a TRIP and a HALF, 2016. It is high time you wrapped up your antics and ushered in a brand new year.  We thank you for the memories and we look forward to a fresh new calendar of surprises ahead. 

Bring on 2017!

Recipe: Baked Garlic Butter Chicken

I tried a new recipe tonight that went over in a great way!  Chicken ... get this ... that the children did not ask to dip in ketchup! That's pretty huge in the Brown house.  What's more, mid-dinner Anna told me I need to make this more often, that she liked that it was spicy but not in a hot way. ;}  Noah loved it right away, too, but he's generally easy to please.  Josh and I both gave it a quick thumbs up as well, remarking after every bite almost - it's quite moist and has an obvious but still mild flavor ... which I know sounds contradictory.  Just trust me, this was a tasty dish and so easy to prepare. 

Baked Garlic Butter Chicken 
from diethood.com

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (16 oz)
salt and pepper to taste
1 sitck butter (1/2 cup)
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 cup shredded 4 cheese italian

• Preheat oven to 375.
• Lightly grease a baking dish with pat of butter.
• Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper, arrange chicken in single layer in dish.
• Add butter to a skillet and melt over medium heat.
• Stir in garlic and cook for 4-5 mins or until slightly browned, stirring frequently. Do not burn the garlic.
• Stir in the rosemary and remove from heat.
• Pour the prepared garlic butter over the chicken breasts.
• Bake for 30-32 mins. 
• Sprinkle with cheese and cook for additional 3 mins or until melted.
• Remove from oven and let stand a couple minutes
• Transfer chicken to serving plates; spoon little bit of garlic butter sauce over the chicken and serve.

Colorful Comfort

This fine Christmas break, I indulged in a little downtime with my favorite new pens and my newest copy of a coloring book I have loved for a couple years.  Problem is, I keep giving my copies away as gifts, so I was excited to finally ink in my own copy finally.  I got two of this particular one and have already given the second copy away again to a dear friend of mine who is loving it already just as much as I am!  Some of my finished pages from Colorful Comfort by Juicebox Designs here in Nashville.

And this is one Anna did.  She is already taking on another page as well.  They take several shifts to complete, which is fine!  We sort of leave it out as you would a large puzzle and do a little here and there.  Except when I get in the zone and cannot be pulled back out. ;)

Three cheers for a relaxing Christmas break.  I am even about to finish a book I have been trying to read for monthssssss!  Started and finished this bad boy, too.  

We have had this island since our newlywed days.  It finally got an upgrade from pine colored to white.  Matches the kitchen much better now.

Lasa + Josh = Magic

Pulled these pics off Josh's phone a couple nights ago from some fine day a couple months ago.  Can you see why I had to have them?  These two.  ❤️ He gets her best grins.  That's the magic of a good quality daddy.

And one bonus grin. 

These two are a winning combo any time of day, any day of the week.

Christmas Morning Goodies

Some pics from our nice and slow Christmas morning this year.  Slow for me, that is.  JOSH got the kids up at 6:15 this morning to see what Santa left out and in their stockings.  That is straight up crazy.  I am not sure what got into him.  

Luckily, I had left the kids strict orders not to wake me up until 8 at the earliest ... and only then if they came bringing me breakfast in bed. :)  They did just that with our traditional Cinnamon Roll Sunday breakfast of champions.  How cute is this chick?!

Also, how cute is this stuffed bear she made on her sewing machine for Lasa?  Cute as can be!  She only suffered one meltdown in the making and when she was done, she tucked it in Lasa's stocking.  Adorable. 

Anyway, back to Christmas morning pics ... which I will let do the talking.  

And oh yeah, these two gifts the kids opened on Christmas Eve.

That Playmation set Noah opened early is his favorite.  The piano is Anna's and Josh's fave.  Lasa's fave is her Journey Girl doll.

Not to sound too unChristmasy, but by noon we were taking down the Christmas decorations to find room to place said piano and Lasa's play kitchen.  It was bizarre to do takedown so soon, but it just felt right this year so we got while the gettin' was hot ... namely, while Lasa was napping.  Ha! We left the front of the house all decorated still so as not to Bah Humbug the neighbor's view.  

Other than all that, we are excited to have a full week of Josh to be home again and are looking forward to spending it as slowly and productively as last week ... Josh has it in mind to paint the living room and kitchen.  And I have already begun painting the island in the kitchen - from pine color to white now.

It was a Merry Christmas for all!

And with that, we say Goodnight!