Cooking Club

Well I am finally back on the blog (being ridiculed while off the blog was intense) with a little bit of fun to share. Last night Jon and I went to "cooking club". Really, it is just a glorified eating club at this point ....but we have big dreams. Last Night's menu was selected by Judy. Here is a little recap:

Portobello Stuffed with Corn and Mushrooms
Roasted Tomato Soup
Chicken Paillard with Creamy Parmesan Salad
Molton Chocolate Cakes with Raspberry Sauce

Dinner was hosted at our friends Benton and Judy's home and attended by us and two other couples. Each couple brought and prepared a course. Here are just a few fun pics from our fun and the super tasty food.

yummy tomatoes ready to roast and then made into a super tasty soup

portobello mushrooms ready to be stuffed

I was assigned to take a whack at some chicken breasts. It was my punishment for wearing such an unflattering shirt :)

Jon "tasting" and assessing his soup

Sherri a mess from dredging her chicken in panko crumbs

Susan, Judy and Jon hard at work with soup

Dinner is served. Yum. All of it was so delicious.






It was a great evening with friends.(Don, Benton and Chris, sorry your pictures didn't make the cut...but we enjoyed your company none the less) So much fun to be together, chatting, cooking and enjoying each others company. Another dinner is just weeks away because this is the group of people that Jon and I are headed to Italy with in September 2011. But no worries we are already gathering, planning and eating (of course).

Sleepover Success

Sunday night was rite of passage night for Jack. He hosted his first sleepover and it was a big success. His best pal Jonathan came and the boys played, enjoyed dinner and then it was pjs and movie time. True to big boy fun they watched "School of Rock" and snacked on brownies and apple slices. Then it was bed time and with a good amount of talking, but no tears the boys eventually called it a night. Have no worries, desperate to get the most play time out of their day....they made their way into our room at 5:10 am. Good Times. Way to Go Boys! Here is to many more sleep overs.

Ode to Pop | Happy Birthday

What do you give a man who has everything...well everything worth having...how about a little air time on the family blog. HAPPY BIRTHDAY POP. We love you, your grilling meat skills, your willingness to golf with Jon, your sharing wine tips with Meg and the way you lavish love and fun times on Jack and Max. Oh yeah, and we love your passion for sleeveless shirts. Have a great day. We are blessed to call you Pop!

Surprise Man Fun

Oh the Lyons men are giddy, spring training for mariner's baseball is right around the corner and Jack and Jon are headed there. Yahoo. Last week while lunching with the mother in law I learned that there were rumblings of a trip down to Arizona to visit Grandma Shirley, Aunt Peggy and to attend Spring Training. Like any good wife/mom I immediately asked if "my boys" could go along too. We enjoyed our trip there when Jack was just a baby and I knew that Jack and Jon would have such a great adventure together.What a special dad and Jack time. Arrangements were made and yesterday morning we informed Jack that in a mere 60 days he would be getting on a plane, staying at a hotel, visiting grandma shirley and watching baseball up close and personal. He is so excited... (Jon is too). Now we have 60 days to get Jack indoctrinated with all things Mariner baseball.

Really, We might have to Homeschool.

Jack is back into the swing of school and here has not been one tear shed. Praise the Lord. He heads into each day with a good attitude and excited. Jon and I were excited for him to head back because we knew that learning to read and recognizing sight words were on the docket and Jack is ready. But after what happen yesterday, I don't know if I am ready...or approve of their methods.

Jack came home with a book he had written. He told me that the instructions were that were that he had to choose a character word from one row of cards ( dad, mom, sister, brother, dog, cat, bird, friend...) then he got to choose long words from another list. Simple and harmless enough, so it would seem. But this is what Jack brought home...careful some of these images and words are hard to take.


Yes, that is me strewn about my bed looking like I just awoke after along long night out and heavy on the sauce.
apparently he has learned , despite my best attempts, that I am motivated by food.
he appears happy with his (lying,false,horrible) description of his mother..look at that smug little smirk.

Where was the teacher? Why didn't she stop this? Me LAZY MOM...I think not ( most of the time ). Ugh I was devastated. We cannot not have this kind of rubbish hanging on the fridge. Jack on the other had thought it was Hysterical...absolutely the funniest thing ever. Here is to having the family's dirty laundry aired...via the Kindergarten writer.

Movin' On Up

It's a big bed for Max. That is right, we have released the beast and have our fingers crossed that it was the right call. Max was very excited to see the new bed and excited about his new blanket. I have no concerns about bed time...naptime on the other hand may be a different story. Only time will tell. *Oh and that crazy look on Max's face, yeah that is his smile...we are working on that*

Christmas Joy 2009

So I finally find myself with some time to sit down and attempt to capture the fun,joy and family times that was Christmas this year. This year we made a little shift in our "schedule of activiities" and the verdict is in, we liked it. Here is a very long day by day recap. Grab a cup of coffee, glass of wine or your diet coke. Settle in for the stories and a slide show.

[Christmas Eve]
It started early in the morning, I walked past Jack's room to head downstairs for my coffee when I herd him say " mom...it's christmas eve morning " yup. He had caught on. This year Jack's excitement was in full swing and the kiddo was on overdrive all morning long, just longing for the day to pass so that we could get on with christmas. Around 2 we headed over to Jon's parents house and met his siblings, parents and grandparents for a prechristmas eve service dinner. We dinned on the lyons family traditional pizza and oyster stew and then we put the kids in their "handsome clothes" attempted a family picture and then it was off to the christmas eve service.


After the Christmas Eve service we gathered at my parents house with my siblings, jon's parents, and few old family friends for soup. One of my most favorite memories of growing up was that on Christmas Eve my parents would make lots of soup and invite lots of families from church over. Late into the night on Christmas Eve our little house would be packed with people. I loved it. It was good to be back at my parents house, enjoy some some and be with old friends.

Around 8:30 we headed home to put our kids in their christmas jammies and to set out cookies for Santa. Jack was totally into it. He wanted to leave Santa two cookies, a roll and an orange. We also had to set out apple juice because we were out of milk. But don't worry Jack left a note for Santa explaining the situation. After the kiddos were in bed Jon and I set to work bringing gifts out of hiding and preparing the living room. Then it was off to bed, we knew morning would be fast upon us.

[Christmas Day]

Okay, I admit, I was the first one awake. What can I say I love Christmas. The boys awoke shortly after and thus the day began. Photo infront of he tree then let's dive in. Jack was totally into it. All the gifts, his stocking, loving each and everything he got. Max was also into it. He loved his stocking, but struggled a bit when it was Jack's turn to open gifts. Max loves a present and could have unwrapped all day. Here are some bad photots of some of the well loved loot.

an autographed seattle sounders soccer ball

the new hasselbeck jersey and playing legos. classic jack christmas.

oogly googly machine from grandma shriley

a new bakugan of max's very own

awesome truck trailer and trucks from grandma shriley


After our family time at home we headed to my parents house for Christmas Breakfast and Gifts. As always my mom prepared a delicous spread. Then it was on to gifts. The boys were thrilled with theirs : Jack, Nerf Dart Tag and Max, a new radio flyer trike. Jon and I certainly appreciated all the fun stocking stuffers and Way to go Kendra and Travis. They had our names for the gift and gave us a great Italian cookbook and a tour book of Italy...perfect for us as we have begun planning and saving for a hiking tour of Italy with friends in September 2011.


After breakfast,gifts and some playing with the cousins it was off to the Lyons for more christmas. When we arrived Max was a sleep so we put him in bed, let Maddison and Jack open gifts and the adults then did the long awaited much anticipated Stocking exchange. This year I scored as Jeff, the patriarch of stockings drew my name and gifted to me. I recieved the most enormous stocking ever...filled with all kinds of great stuff including some excellent wine tools and books and I continue to persue my love of good wine. Jack loved the new lego set that Nan and Pop go him as well, he is the envy of all his little friends. After gifts we set out to devour the finger foods that everyone had brought. Tasty as always. Then we played some brain games and called it a night.
It was a good day. Made great by the fact that we get to be with both of our families. So there it is. All the Joy and Chaos that was the Lyons Christmas.

Snowflake Lane

It has become a tradition for Jack, myself and my Mom to head up to a local event called Snowflake Lane. A local shopping center has a nightly music show that takes place on the sidewalk and involves "snow" that falls from the top of buildings. It lasts only about 15 minutes but is great fun and well done. Saturday night was the night. We donned our rain coats and headed out. Our plan was to have "good" dinner at a restaurant but after we heard "the wait is 2 hours" at four different places we gave in and settled for dinner at McDonalds. Jack was thrilled, mom a little bummed.
After our meal we took our places on sidewalk and enjoyed the show. After the street show we headed to crate and barrel so that Jack could chose this years ornament. The winner... a nutcracker wielding a sword- duh. To call the evening a night we headed back to the golden arches for hot fudge sundaes. Yeah for Snowflake Lane fun.

Urgent Care | Mom's Turn

Sunday I noticed that my thumb was tender due to a little split near my thumb nail, Monday I noticed that my thumb and my hand felt warm and throbed. Tuesday I awoke to my whole arm throbing and my thumb and hand swollen, tight and extrememly sensitive. So I paid a little visit to urgent care. Here is what my update email to Jon read tuesday afternoon :
________________________________
Just got home.It was a whack fest.
Here is a recap of the morning.

A couple of shots…me passing out … the doctor having his way with the scalpel on my thumb….A massive bandage… 4 prescriptions….recommendations for splint and a sling……

The pain was legit…and so was my visit. The results are in = Nasty Staph infection.

Good times.

:> the wounded wife.
____________________________________________
So there it is. Yeah staph. It appears I will be on antibiotics for the next 12 days,
It is recommended that I wear the bandage and a sling (to help with the pain) for the next 4 days....and then we should be good with topical cream and band aids till complete healing in 10 days.

Good thing the wrapping is done.

Jingle Bell Run in Bellingham

On Friday the boys, my mom, and my friend Shelly and her son Jonathan all loaded into my parents car and headed north to Bellingham. We had been invited to participate in the Jingle Bell Run to support my cousin Jocelyn and the raise money for the arthritis foundation. We had a great time, great fun on the walk/run and are so appreciative to Kendra for letting us invade her space for the weekend. Here is a little photo look at all the fun.

FRIDAY NIGHT: Fun times at Kamp Kendra. Exploring, Playing, Movies for kiddos and beverages for mommys. And really does it get better than sleeping in sleeping bags on aero bed....jack says no.


The boys had a great time playing Indiana Jones in Auntie Kendra's "Cave" basement.


In jammies and ready for a christmas movie.


Shelly and I are set for the night.


My rocking sister who so genrously opened her home...oh and thanks to her husband Travis too, who let us invade.

SATURDAY MORNING: The air was cold but not too bad. The kids did great participting in the 2 mile walk and Kendra and I got do the 4 mile run. After the event we went to Jocelyn and Eriks house for soup. It was a great morning.


Jack and Mom sporting their walk/run numbers and Max sporting his unamusement that he would not be allowed to be out of the stroller.* our funky scarves showed that we were on Jocelyns support team. Yeah "part of the cure".


Adorning the shoes with bells.


Shelly and Jonathan all set to go.


Mom all bundled up and ready to walk with the kiddos- Thanks Mom.


There was a great turn out for the event. We are somewhere in that mass of people.


Kendra and her dog meet up after the run.