Layered Tortellini Pesto Chicken Salad

We have a new favorite recipe! Yummy!!I made this salad last night (also from the Pillsbury magazine, what a treasure!) and it went over very very well. Kinley didn't love it because there were peppers in it, but Tanner ate a huge bowl and asked for more and Justin told me six times that he really really liked this new dinner. He said it's the best new recipe I've made in a long time and he wants it repeated soon! The pic in the magazine shows it all layered and pretty before mixing it up, but I couldn't get that step quite right. So my picture shows it all mixed up and ready to eat :)

I've modified it slightly from the original:

Layered Tortellini Pesto Chicken Salad
Ingredients
3 uncooked cups cheese-filled tortellini
1 cup peas, cooked and cooled
5 cups torn romaine lettuce
2 cups chopped or shredded chicken
1 medium red or orange bell pepper, chopped small
1/2 cup low-fat or fat-free Miracle Whip or mayo (I used miracle)
1/2 cup basil pesto (from the spaghetti sauce aisle)
1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk

Directions
In a small bowl or food processor, mix mayo, pesto and buttermilk. Chill in fridge at least 90 minutes.
Cook and shred/chop chicken. Chill in fridge at least 90 minutes.
Cook tortellini as directed on package. Drain, rinse with cold water, spray lightly with Pam spray to keep from sticking, chill in fridge for at least 90 minutes.
Prepare lettuce, pepper, and peas. Can be mixed and chilled ahead of time.
When ready to serve, mix all ingredients in a large bowl and serve immediately.

It Actually Came Out Of My Mouth

"Stop crying right now or I'll give you something to cry about."

Sigh....

Baby Hauling, Ghana-Style

My friend Shannan showed me how to pack a baby (or a child) on my back the way the mothers in Ghana do. I was shocked and astounded at how comfortable (and secure) it was! I am completely converted! You can see Shannan modeling the baby-style a few posts down with her wee little Solomon.

We Three

We are blessed with such a delightful neighborhood, filled with friendly and happy faces who are always up for an adventure. Sometimes we forget how fun it can be to just be by ourselves. We spent time together just the three of us this morning, not distracted by too-enjoyable adult friends or wee little neighbor companions. It was surprisingly rejuvenating. I got that happy sweet peaceful feeling in my coal black heart. "Hey, Mommy! Just hanging around!!"
Tanner thought it looked like fun when Kinley did it, but wasn't so thrilled once he was up there himself. Look at the protective older sister in the background, LOL!

We walked all over the park, exploring together. Just because it's part of nature, doesn't mean it's beautiful or smells great. Standing water... blech. I didn't take a picture of the lost belt behind the secluded tree. I didn't even want to know why that was there!
My very favorite part of the morning was our "Bear Hunt". We had read the "Going on a Bear Hunt" book from the library before we left this morning. Little did I know how it would be used later.

When we saw the boardwalk entrance we chanted "We're going on a bear hunt! We're gonna catch a big one! What a beautiful day! We're not scared! Oh-oh! It's a forest! A tall, dark forest! We can't go over it! We can't go under it! We've got to go through it!"

That was my contribution. I let the matter rest as we carefully started on our boardwalk journey. Half-way through our walk, all of a sudden Tanner started chanting without prompting "Stumble trip! Stumble trip! Stumble trip!!" He remembered the sound effects from the forest page in the book! I was so proud of him! He is really developing his speech and his memory. It's expanding rapidly and it's such a wonderful thing to see. He is starting to really get into imaginative play and I get such a kick out of where his mind takes him! He's adorable! He is maturing in leaps and bounds and is surprising me in new ways all the time.
The excursion turned into a learning experience on some unexpected topics. When we returned to the park to play, there were several inconsiderate smokers there, puffing away while pushing their kids on the swings right next to ours. We left immediately and were able to have an in-depth discussion about the dangers of smoking (including second-hand) on our walk home. Kinley had a lot of questions and it took the entire walk home to get to the bottom of them. I pulled no punches and even told her about Grandma Rosemary who died of lung cancer. So I decided not to be too terribly annoyed at the smokers at the park. It afforded us a perfect opportunity to really discuss smoking in depth.

When we got back to our house, several neighbor friends were outside enjoying the sunshine, so we spent some time with them before lunch and naps. Great great morning. Couldn't have hoped for more.

Poser

Yesterday we went up to PG to visit some cousins and played at their little neighborhood park-ette. These are some pictures of my little ham. She poses quite glamourously for the camera, don't you think?

One thing about our trip that I learned is that Tanner needs a nap every day and Kinley needs one almost as often. They were on their third day in a row without a nap. Tanner was extremely edgy and defensive all morning and Kinley actually bit her brother. She bit him! Chomp! When he took some sunglasses out of her hand. What in the world? He still bears the bruise evidence today. We came home (Tanner falling asleep before we even left the parking lot) and they both slept for over 3 hours. I won't be making that mistake again!

Instructions

I had to share this funny saying on a plaque I saw recently:

"My husband came with instructions. LOTS AND LOTS of instructions..."

HA HA HA HA HA!!

Rock Canyon

Our first adventure for the Nature Group was a spontaneous trip to Rock Canyon. Excellent choice, Joh! Thanks! Easy walking trail for even the littlest walkers. It's very green right now with all the moisture we have had this winter. So pretty!
Miss Shannan modeling her Ghanian child-hauling skills!



I love these little ones!
After spending time on the trail, the kids took off their shoes and splashed around in a wee little rocky stream.


Tanner ended up melting down before we left. It was his second day in a row without a nap and he was such a cranky pants!

Nature Club

Hi, all!! Johanna had the fabulous idea to start a Mommy and Me Hiking/Nature Club!! About once a week we'll get together and enjoy some of the area's finer outdoor attractions, including gentle hiking trails and other such peaceful outdoorsy adventures. The more the merrier! If you are interested in participating, leave a comment or send me an email so that we can be sure to keep you informed of upcoming activities!!

Healthy Pasta Primavera

I tried this recipe from the Pillsbury monthly magazine, of all things. It was calling to me from the shelf in the grocery line. It is lower-calorie and it was delicious! The kids inhaled it! I have slightly modified it. The picture doesn't show how delightfully creamy it was, and for some reason I neglected to capture the yummy mushrooms in the photo! But the entire pan is gone now so there will be no repeated attempts!

Ingredients:
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
2 cups broccoli florets
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup cherry halved cherry tomatoes
1 cup diced, cooked chicken (optional)
2 cups halved fresh snow pea pods (optional, and did not use)
12 oz uncooked fettucini
1 1/2 cups fat-free (skim) milk
3 tbs cornstarch
1 tbs chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp dried basil leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 cup light ricotta cheese
1/4 cup shredded fresh parmesan cheese (not in the green can!!)
1/2 cup chicken broth
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Directions
1. Cook and drain fettucini as directed on package. Lightly spray with Pam and toss to keep from sticking together. Cook and chop chicken.

2. Meanwhile, in a 2-quart saucepan, heat milk, cornstarch, basil, salt, and pepper to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with wire whisk. Reduce heat to medium; simmer 2-5 minutes, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens. Remove pan from heat.

3. In a blender or food processor, place 1/2 cup of the sauce, the ricotta cheese and the parmesan cheese. Cover; blend on medium-lo speed until smooth. Return mixture to remainint sauce in saucepan; stir well.

4. In a nonstick pot, heat broth to boiling over medium-hgh heat. Add garlic; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms, broccoli and onions; cover and cook 4 minutes. Add tomatoes (and pea pods, if used); cook 1 minute longer. Add sauce and cooked fettucine; heat until hot. Transfer to serving platter if desired, and sprinkle with additional fresh parmesan cheese.

*optional items: one option called for 1/2 cup more milk. I can agree with that. Also, asparagus can be substituted for the broccoli or peapods.

River Trail

This afternoon we took a family walk down the river trail. Most of the pictures didn't turn out because they kids were in such motion that they are too blurry to post. But I got a few cute ones. We wanted to get a little exercise and enjoy the fresh air. Justin pushed the empty stroller for most of the way, knowing the kids were going to tire eventually, which they did.

"Cheese, Mommy!" Kinley wanted to take a picture by this horse that looks like Papa's Max.
"Wait, Mommy!"


Voila! A double stroller!
Tanner's new passion is having his window open and holding the top of it while we drive.
Kinley enjoying a little breeze on the freeway.
It was a perfect day to be on the trail. We narrowly missed a downpour. We actually left the house while it was pouring, thinking maybe it would stop before we got there (ok, some of us thought it might be fun to splash through the rain). But it did stop raining before we got to the trailhead, leaving a few puddles and some wandering snails.
It's no Yellowstone, but it's very pretty and the kids thought it was a marvlous adventure.

Relaxing

Someone's been chillin' in my bed...

The Truth About Grocery Shopping

Shopping by myself. Fun.

Shopping with two small children. Less fun.

Shopping with two small children and a husband. No fun at all.

My Blogimony

I love having a blog and I love when my friends and family members do. I had no idea what was waiting for me when I started this adventure almost a year and a half ago. It has been a blessing to my life in so many ways and for so many reasons.

#1 -- I have experienced the blessings of journaling. I have never been a diligent journal-keeper, which has changed since this blog began. I often take the opportunity to review prior posts for perspective and clarity. On those dark and pessimistic days, I can scroll back and look at pictures of my kids participating in uplifting and stimulating activities and remind myself that I do have a purpose for living and that maybe I am on the path to my "personal legend" (the Alchemist!). It very often keeps the blessings of my life in the forefront of my mind. I have also been able to sort out problems, concerns, and questions just by blogging about it. So many times I have been able to come up with my own solutions just by getting it down on "paper" and taking the time to think it out well enough to make it post-worthy. Sometimes that action alone helps me make plans and decisions for my life. I understand these to be the blessings of journaling, which I have never before experienced over such an extended period of time.

#2 -- I have learned so much about love, life, parenting, literature, gospel-living, scrapbooking, domesticity, entertainment, and humor by reading the blogs of my friends and family. Thank you, good women, for sharing your life experiences to enrich my understanding of this world and the next. Also, I have greatly benefitted from the generous and helpful comments that have come to me from others on my own blog in response to questions and concerns that I posted. I feel like I have the best resources in the world at my finger tips! I get so many great ideas from you!

#3 -- I feel so much more "caught-up" on the lives of my friends who live far away. We used to spend so much time reviewing the highlights of our lives during our too infrequent get-togethers. Oh, so you're building a house? Oh, you are adopting? Oh, you are moving out of state? Now when we get together, we can discuss the colors they are choosing for their house, their current successes and struggles with the adoption, and the exciting possibilities of the upcoming move, because we don't have to rehash 6-12 months of life changes in a grand detail-lacking overview. We can dig right in. I have the chance to feel as close to my far away friends and family as I do my next door neighbor. I wish all of my friends had blogs and this is my plea to them, LOL! :)

#4 -- Life is so busy. I have to take my socialization in snatches when I can. Sometimes that is at 11:00 at night. Sometimes it is during naptime. Sometimes it is 10 minutes here or there (cough, cough, or an hour...) Spending 5 minutes reading about the adventures of a loved one gives me a boost and a lift. I don't feel so lonely or lost. It fills me with happiness and joy almost as much as being together face to face, except it can count as uninterrupted adult time because my kids aren't misbehaving around my ankles or trying to steal your kids' toys! Getting together to visit in person with friends and family is vital to my emotional wellbeing, but I can be honest enough to say that it's not frequent enough for my social neediness!! And it sometimes seems that the better mom and housekeeper I try to be, the less time I have for filling my own personal bucket with adult socialization. Thanks to blogging, I don't feel alone and I don't miss working at the orthodontist office one bit. I have transitioned to a well-adjusted stay-at-home mom and have never been happier.

And what about some of my neighbors whom I love but never get to see? Our lives are so busy and swinging in circles on the opposite sides of the neighborhood that we don't connect very often in person. I was concerned with the ward merge and me joining YW (and being so very busy with it) that I would feel completely disconnected from those in the old ward and those in the new. Not so! Ok, fine, at least in the case of those that blog. I can think of several (whom I won't embarass publicly, including some previously unknown family members) that I never would have had the chance to know except initially through each other's blogs and now I would classify them as dear friends. When we see each other on the street, there are no awkward blank stares. There is a comaraderie, understanding, and sincere and meaningful friendship that has come from learning about each other. It's as though we have spent many many MANY girls nights out together, laughing and sharing about our lives. LOL, I don't know if they feel that way in return, but I do! It's so hard to get to know someone by just their "Sunday Face". It takes being in their home, finding out where they keep their chocolate stash, knowing what makes them happy and what makes them sad. Blogging cuts to the heart of that in a quick way.

#5 -- I feel liberated. I spent so many years wondering what people thought about me, convinced (and rightly so) that I was putting out a misleading vibe. I knew that if I talked to someone or made a comment, say, in Relief Society, that depending on the conversation, my general demeanor, and my hormone situation of the day, they would immediately categorize me into a box. People either thought "wow, she is one super-spiritual, focused return missionary!" or "interesting, she's a little on the crass and naughty side. Better keep an eye on that one!" Sometimes "oh my goodness, she is so super organized!" or "holy cow, how does she function with so little brain power?!" Then there is "wow, that Megan is so on the top of her game." or "Holy smokes, what a troubled lady with so many scars and damage and neuroses!"

The reality is that none of them are entirely true and I found myself perpetually annoyed by being pigeon-holed. I feel like on my blog I have been allowed to be myself, good, bad, and ugly. If I want to be an amazing super-mom some days, I'm not going to hide it. If I stay on the couch and watch endless re-runs of Law and Order, feeding my kids goldfish crackers all day, I can own it. One of the best things I have learned through this blogging process is that we are all more alike than we are different. We all have our ups and downs and I no longer feel alone in my craziness. Not my crazy accomplishments, nor my bitter disappointments. Not in my ambitions, nor in my weaknesses. I have loved ones who will tell me "good job on planting those flowers! They are so pretty!" as well as "Oh, honey, I have sooooo been there. This too shall pass." Reading the blogs of others and sharing on my own is about the little things, the things that might not be earthshattering enough to make it to the annual Christmas letter, but that are still worth sharing.

I've just been thinking a lot about it and wanted to share my thoughts on the world of blogging. Do I spend too much time doing it? Um... yeah, sometimes I think so. But I can think of worse addictions :) This has clearly been such a benefit to our family and to me personally. If you made it to the end of this long post, many kudos to you, and you are a true and generous friend, LOL! :)

Super Dad

I think Justin's trip to Idaho with the children has emboldened him. He is starting to recognize his own parenting powers and it's a wonder to behold.

For our anniversary, Justin's much-appreciated present to me was 4 hours of uninterrupted blogging/scrapping time today (Ok, 3 hours after my solo trip to the library). I'll confess that I assumed he would take the children to the basement to watch ESPN and maybe throw a few balls around the room when they got fussy.

Not so, Super Dad! After asking me to untangle the rat's nest on Kinley's head, he put on their shoes and hopped into the car with both of them. I had no idea how long they would be gone or what their plans were, but I mentally started the 60-minute countdown until they all came bursting into the house frustrated, starving, and generally hysterical.

Four hours later, they came stumbling through the door, happy as larks, the kids racing up to their beds for naptime. Justin took them to the Bean Museum (taxidermed animal displays), then they went to the Art Museum. Then they went out to lunch together at the Cougareat. Then they wandered around the bookstore. And then?? Then they stopped off at the dollar theater to pick up tickets for our whole family to see Horton Hears a Who tonight. (That's why they were racing to bed for naps. Justin told them they had to be well-rested for the movie.) We went out tonight as a family to see the movie and then? Then Justin suggested we get snacks at McDonald's and let the kids play in the playland. What in the world???

Daddy, you are too wonderful for words!! Thank you so much!

Joy School Graduation

Today we celebrated Kinley's graduation from two years of Joy School. It's still hard for me to accept that in just a few short months she will be going to kindergarten!! We have loved doing Joy School with the wonderful moms in the group. I've tentatively decided to start Baby Tanner this coming year with the same group of ladies since almost all of us have another set of younger siblings, also all the same age. Very convenient. Tanner is an October birthday, so he actually has another 3 years to go before kindergarten, but I don't want to be left out of the fun! I need the comaraderie and socialization of Joy School more than my kids do!

8 Years Together

Well, Justin and I have celebrated 8 years of marriage this week!! In honor of this special occasion, I thought I would embarass him a little by sharing 8 things you may or may not know about him:

1. He graduated at the top of his class from the prestigious BYU Marriott School of Management with his masters in Accountancy.
2. He thinks I snore. Whatever.
3. He has not missed a single BYU home football game in 9 seasons.
4. He watched "The Bachelor" finale this season. Alone.
5. He grew up on a farm/cattle ranch in Idaho, moving pipe and feeding cows.
6. He hates fresh tomatoes.
7. He's "more of a 4-wheeler guy than a horse guy".
8. His huggable chest always smells nice. Ladies, you'll just have to take my word for it.

Ode To David Archuleta

You can't see him, but you can definitely hear him! But "he could sing the phone book", right, LOL? I can't wait until he makes a Christmas album! This is him performing at a local Christmas party in December 2007

Now, this one below was when I first started paying attention to this little guy. I loved when he did this song during the auditions. Notice the back up singer wiping away tears in the background?

No, I'm not sad that he didn't win. In the end, I could have accepted either as the winner, and I agreed with Simon that it wasn't as clear cut as they initially called it. Kudos to David Cook. They are both going to do extremely well. This last clip was my favorite of the final competition:

Domesticity

When I put the kids down for a nap this afternoon, I was sooooo tempted to join them. I came "this close". BUT! I'm glad I didn't for many reasons.

#1 -- it would just perpetuate the "stay up way too late at night and get up way too cranky and tired" cycle.

#2 -- I used up more of my stash of cute fabric on these little masterpieces instead! I have to clean out the closets of previous indulgences before I'm allowed to buy more, you see. I forgot how therapeutic sewing can be. Nice neat lines, the gentle humming of the sewing machine, the satisfaction of creativity.

The best part is the giddy feeling I get when I'm being domestic, like I'm sneaking into a secret club that I don't really belong to but almost feel a part of! It's kind of like when I used to attend the gym (cough, cough, it's been a few years) and I successfully managed to turn on the treadmill without assistance. I remember looking around at my fellow gym rats as if to say "see? I'm one of you! I even remembered my water bottle and my hand towel day!" Of course, I also remember tripping on my shoelace shortly thereafter and falling on my face, but whatever. Planting flowers this year (and they are still alive, thank you very much) was a big step into the wonderful world of domesticity, but I'm still a poser-gardener. A wannabe, pseudo type. When do you stop feeling that way about such things??

Informal poll
Out of curiosity, which color schemes do you personally prefer for wee ones? Do you prefer more the soft baby colors of the previous post? Or the bright dynamic colors of this one? Oh, and it doesn't matter how you answer, Heather. Both sets are coming your way... if I ever get to the post office! You know my procrastination!

I HATE HATE HATE Whining!!!

I have no tolerance for whining, never have had. Now that we are home again, Tanner has started in again with his whine/shriek, exacerbated by his somewhat self-righteous sister who demands stupid little unnecessary things that she knows will make him cry. I just wanted a few minutes alone this morning without having to listen to that sound!! Why do we have to start the day off that way?

There is actually a physiological reaction that happens within my brain when I hear that sound, particularly when made by Tanner (the most frequent perpetrator). My blood pressure increases, my adrenaline races, and I get amazingly, freakishly angry. I hate it hate it HATE IT! JUST STOP MAKING THAT SOUND!! It's the only time I want to beat my kids!! Then I get super angry at myself for such an emotional overreaction (which too often involves yelling very loudly at them and sometimes spankings), and resentful to them for pushing that particularly sensitive button.

I don't like listening to any kids whine, but I can usually tune out other people's children. There is a certain volume and tone that Tanner has perfected to make me the very craziest!! It doesn't make me want to spend time with them, or do fun things with them or take them fun places! It makes me want to lock them up in the basement and run from the house! He has been really improving lately and he hardly did it at all this entire weekend (never even a fully-revved whine/shriek), so I was hoping we were entering a new, whine-free phase. No such luck. 2 steps forward, 1 step back, you know...

Yes, I hate their whining that much. Maybe it's the demanding, insistent nature of it all. I feel very bossed around by it.

Sewing Again!

After a 2 (maybe 3?) year hiatus from my sewing machine, I fired up that bad boy this afternoon! I wanted to make a blanket with matching burp cloths for my newest favorite nephew, Logan. It had been so long that I had to put in an emergency tech support call to DeAnna to have her remind me how to wind the bobbin! I think they turned out darling and I hope you like them, Heather! There, now that I've told you about them, I am actually committed to driving to the post office! Yikes!

The kids were very intrigued by the whole process. Tanner chanted in my ear "up, down, up, down" and they each took turns pulling out the positioning pins at the right times and relocating them to the pincushion. The kids weren't the only ones amused by the sewing adventures. Justin walked in on me later tonight when I was laying out the blanket, my hair askew, my mouth full of pins. He finds my domestic moments very sexy :)
Burp cloths and receiving blankets are 2 of the 3 things that I know how to sew, the other being very simple quilts with straight lines only. I can't even hem a skirt or a pair of pants. I'd actually be hard-pressed to fix a loose button or sew on a patch! I tried to use a pattern once, but it brought me to tears (quickly). But, by golly, I love these little newborn sets!! "Sew much fun!" Pun intended :)

Saturday

On Saturday morning, before our pool adventures (and before a successful trip to the outlets!) we took a tour of Main Street. Tanner led the way :) All 6 of the grandkids together What a strange moose...

Resting for a moment with Papa.

Uncle Matt and Aunt Kim
For dinner we went to Park City Pizza. It was very good, I thought, and highly filling. The crust was extremely dense!! I love that they put mushrooms on their hawaiian pizzas! I thought we were the only ones who did that!
Justin staring down his niece.

We stayed up late on our second night playing Ticket to Ride and Danny's Wii. I watched, but I like that. Justin is officially sick with whatever it was that Kinley had last week and I'm really sorry if he passes it on to anyone else. The doctor said Kinley shouldn't be at all contagious anymore, but we didn't count on Justin carrying the plague himself! Overall, it was a fabulous weekend, and I'm so glad that everyone was able to make it! I was tired enough this afternoon to fall asleep face-first on Kinley's bedroom floor! So what in the world am I doing up right now???