Fun with the Gorsch Family

In January, we got to meet the Gorsch family at a children's museum in Bourbonnais for a day of fun.  We had planned to go there during our weekend with them in October, but we had so much fun at the orchard that we never made it.  So, we planned another day trip!

 Hannah will find dress-ups anywhere she goes!

 

 Jacob and I had fun playing peek-a-boo in the tractor.  He was laughing like crazy! 

 Two peas in a pod!

The museum was just the perfect size for us to keep track of our 5 little ones while getting to catch up!  Hannah loves Sadie and can't wait to see her again.  Which works out well because I can't wait to see Kristina again!  (Except the next time we see each other, we'll be kid-free.... Hearts at Home :) )

First Dentist Appointment!

Hannah had her first dentist appointment last month.  We finally added her to our insurance, and we actually had to switch dentists due to insurance as well, so it was my first appointment with our new dentist, Dr. Paap.  Hannah did great and had no cavities!  They did an x-ray of a dark tooth she has from an incident with our end table when she was little.  The doctor said her adult tooth above it looks healthy, so that was good news as well!

Preschool

First Day of Preschool!

Hannah started attending Thursday school in September.  It meets for just two hours a week at East Park Christian Church in Danville.  This is a free program, so I thought we'd give it a try!  She's enjoying it, and I'm enjoying running errands with only one child, even if it is currently my more active child!

In addition to this, Hannah and I were very intentional in reading at home last year.  I got a list of over 225 stories to read to your preschooler, and we just finished that list!  Daddy got to do her Bible time with her too almost every night.  I plan to start working on a new list soon and also to be more intentional about teaching Hannah to write.  She has known all of her letters, colors, numbers, and shapes for some time now, but reinforcing them and teaching her to write better is definitely on our agenda for 2013!

Recipes

About this time 3 years ago, my college girlfriends and I exchanged some favorite recipes and we decided it was time again, so here goes.  These are 3 of my favorite recipes that I don't think I've shared before:

Potato Soup

Ingredients: 6 Cups Chicken Broth, 6 Cups Potatoes Pealed and Cubed, 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper, 8 oz. Cream Cheese (chunked, room temp)
Optional Toppings: Crumbled Bacon, Green Onions, Cheddar Cheese

Combine broth, potatoes, and spices in large pot.  Boil until potatoes are tender.  Smash a few to release starch for thickening.  Reduce to low heat.  Add cream cheese.  Stir until cheese melts.


Mexican Chicken Lasagna

Ingredients: 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves (chopped), 8 oz. cream cheese, 2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese, 1 medium onion (chopped), 28 oz. enchilada sauce, 12 6" corn tortillas, 3 cups cooked chicken (diced or shredded)

Place cream cheese in bowl and microwave on high 30-45 seconds until very soft.  Add cilantro and 1 1/2 cups of MJ Cheese.  Mix well.  Spread 2/3 cup of enchilada sauce over bottom of a 9x13 or Pampered Chef Deep Covered Baker.  Pour remaining enchilada sauce into mixing bowl and set aside.  Using tongs, dip four tortillas into enchilada sauce in mixing bowl and arrange over sauce in baker.  Scoop 1/2 of the cream cheese mixture over tortillas and spread.  Top with 1 cups of chicken of 1/3 of the onion.  Repeat layers one time.  Dip the remaining four tortillas into the sauce and arrange over the second layer.  Top with remaining chicken and onion.  Pour remaining enchilada sauce over lasagna and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup MJ cheese.  Microwave, covered, on high 12-15 minutes or until center is hot.  Let stand 10 minutes.  Sprinkle with additional cilantro.  Serve with shredded lettuce, sour cream, guacamole, tomatoes, etc.

Fajitas

Ingredients: 1 each-Red, Yellow, and Orange Bell Pepper, 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 2 tsp. vegetable oil, 1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup salsa, flour tortillas
Optional: Guacamole, Shredded Cheese, Sour Cream, Salsa

Cut bell peppers into 1/2" strips.  Cut chicken crosswise into thin strips.  Heat over medium high heat.  Ad 1 teaspoon of the oil and chicken.  Stir-fry 3-4 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.  Add remaining oil, bell peppers and stir-fry 1-2 minutes or until vegetalbes are crisp-tender.  Add soup mix, water and salsa to bell pepper/chicken mixture.  Cook and stir 2-3 minutes or until heated through.  To serve, place chicken mixture in center of tortillas.  Serve with toppings, if desired.  

2012 Date Nights

One of our goals for 2012 was to go on a monthly date night.  Since I think we went on about 2 dates in 2011, I thought a goal of 12 for 2012 was pretty good!  Here's what we did:

• We ate at Sonic Drive-In so we could make our movie in time.  We saw Moneyball (good movie!)
• We went out with friends (but without kids).  Does that count?  Our small group went to a trivia night in Danville.  It was so much fun our small group ended up hosting our own trivia night at church!
• We ate at Dos Reales (my favorite) and went to Winter Jam, a huge Christian concert at Assembly Hall.
• We went on our first weekend getaway since we had kids.  We went to Chicago and did all sorts of fun things!!!  
• We went to Dos Reales with the Strungas and "Aldermans" (not married yet :).  
• We went to Timpone's for our anniversary (yummy!)
• We went out to eat and to a Colts' Game in Indianapolis!
• We went to the Flat Top Grill and went shopping.  
• We went to the Nail/Shank wedding and reception without kids!
• Our year end was somewhat disastrous.  We used all of our babysitting time in October, November, and December to go to funeral homes and doctor's appointments.  Boo!

Looking back over the year, I'm proud of how many times we were alone.  And I'm not sure I got them all.  But we had lots of fun!!!

Christmas 2012

This year, we had a lot of fun with our Advent calendar.  We tried to do a special Christmas activity every day in December leading up to Christmas.  Hannah was excited every day to draw a card for the next day.  Some of our extra special activities included:

Visiting Santa at the Festival of Trees with Grandma Teresa (an annual tradition!)

Attending the library Christmas party and sending a letter for Santa with Mrs. Claus

Making a Mickey gingerbread house, a gift from Grandma Jody!

Drinking hot chocolate with whipped cream and sprinkles

Visiting Santa and riding the Christmas train at The Village Mall

Going to a live nativity at a local church

Doing special Christmas crafts at home

Making homemade flower shaped crayons out of our old broken crayons

Going to see a Christmas play (Peter Pan) and seeing Christmas lights in Danville

Making Christmas candies (smashing candy canes for peppermint bark!)

Receiving a letter in the mail from Santa.  Hannah was SO HAPPY to find out she was on the "good list."

Singing at church on Christmas Sunday

Our family Christmas celebrations were kicked off at the Gurtlers on the 23rd.  We went over after church and got to spend the afternoon and evening opening gifts and eating yummy food!  

Hannah was excited about LaLaLoopsy and Rapunzel's wedding dress.

Jake loved his new Mickey bike!

We tried to get the kids to pose in their matching jammies at the end of the night.  Landon was done-poor guy!

On the 24th, we went to my parents house, along with all of my siblings and all of our significant others!  We did a drawing this year for gifts, and that worked out perfectly.

Grandma Teresa made Hannah and Marie-Grace matching robes!  They are so soft.  Hannah was so excited!

That night, our family was involved in a small skit at the Christmas Eve service.  I love this picture that a friend snapped with her cell phone!

On Christmas morning, Hannah got a princess bike and some clothes from Santa!

Jacob got a tool bench and a basketball!

Santa left a note on his cookie tray.

Then we spent the rest of the day with Josh's dad's side of the family.  It's always a good day of yummy food and lots of gifts.  Jacob and Landon wore their matching sweaters from Grandma Jody!

Books I read in 2012

 

Wow, in 2012, I read at least 20 books!  I know that's not a lot for some people, but that's more than I've read in a long time!  Here's a list of what I read by category:


Marriage
Rekindling the Romance (good)
The 5 Love Languages (I know, I know.  I had never read this classic that is required in most pre-marital counseling.  It is a good read that I think could help a lot of couples.  We weren't sure on our love langues before reading, but we think Josh's love language is words of affirmation and mine is acts of service.)

Parenting
So You're Thinking About Homeschooling (Many of the moms that I admire are homeschooling moms, and this book was left in my office at church, so I read it.  Still not sure what we'll do, but it had lots of good thoughts.  I feel like God has asked me to at least consider this option that I never thought I would.)
Creative Correction (I feel like I should re-read this one in a few years.  It's better for parents of grade school children, I would say.)
No Regrets Parenting (This was ok)

Fun
The Help (Good!)
The Vow (Good!)
Misconception (Good)
Inconceivable (Good but heartbreaking....This is the flip story of Misconception.)
The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels (Good)

Spiritual Fun
Choosing to See (Good but heartbreaking....)
90 Minutes in Heaven (Good)
Kisses From Katie (Excellent-best book I read this year!)
Reshaping it All (Disappointing)
Heaven is for Real (Good)

Spiritual Development
10 Things Jesus Never Said (Horrible, poor Theology)
Don't Sing Songs to a Heavy Heart (Good)
Think Orange (Ok)
Not A Fan (Good)
Simplicity (Ok)