Mmmm Mmmm Good!

Every year around this time I hit up Wally World for my year supply of roasted green chile.  There is nothing quite like fresh roasted chile, the canned stuff is handy in a pinch but it's not the same.  As I was waiting to check out with my 25 lb box that was fresh out of the roaster, everyone around me was trying to figure out where the delicious smell was coming from!

I grew up around chile.  I didn't always like it, but as I matured so did my taste buds and by the time I was 10 I was hooked.  My family spent several weeks every summer at my Grandparent's house in Mexico and I grew up eating apples and peaches fresh from one Uncle's orchards, and sweet corn and chile from another Uncle's farm.  It was the life!

So I love spending my time elbow deep in chile juice, cleaning the skin and seeds from the hearty green meat, and packing them neatly in small freezer bags to stash away and enjoy all year long.  Just writing this post is making my mouth water for a green chile and cheese quesadilla. Here's to keeping up a delicious family tradition!

Bracky Lately

This little guy is cute, but he has his "stinker" moments.  His latest obsession verges on stinker, because he insists on hiding here... 

..the pillows on my bed.  I make my bed everyday, my life just isn't settled or right until my bed looks nice.  Typically my bed is off limits to the boys until its bedtime when sometimes, if they have proved their worthiness by being sweet angels all day long, I let them jump on my bed.  So having my bed messed up half a dozen times a day is frustrating.  Who wants to make their bed all day long?!?!?  Not me, but I do.  Because this little stinker... 

...is too cute for his own good. When he looks at me from behind the mountain of pillows and says "Mommy, I hiding!" with a giant smile on his face, I'm a gonner.  And I know I'm going to be fixing my bed in just a few short minutes.

Right on Track

Here is the first picture of Numero Tres!

This baby is perfect in every way so far.  All the organs and limbs are properly developed for a 14 week fetus putting us still on track for the March 10th due date.

Cousins

Over this summer 2 of Curtis's brothers and their families moved back to Prescott.  Now a family gathering is so much more fun because of all the little cousins we have to play with.

Here are the kidlets, and there is one newborn and 3 more on the way! There was a span of about 6 weeks when all 4 sister-in-laws were expecting at the same time.

After baby Eden's blessing.  We have a very handsome bunch for the next generation of Kleinman boys.

There will be many fun birthday and holiday celebrations to look forward to and watching our kids grow up together will be priceless.

Bracken Turned Two!!!!!!!!!!!!

Saturday evening we had a little family celebration with Grandma and Grandpa Kleinman.  We ate pizza & salad with orange soda for dinner. It was super yummy!

The Birthday Cake!

Bracken was really good at blowing out the candles this year.  We must of relit them at least 6 times.

Nathan was a BIG help when it was time to tear into the presents and Bracken was happy to let him join in the paper ripping fun.  I was anticipating trouble. but was pleasantly surprised by their teamwork.

Like most little kids, Bracken was completely distracted by the newly unwrapped gift. Meaning that he totally forgot about the others still waiting for him.  Fortunatley Nathan didn't let him get sidetracked for long or our evening would have dragged on far beyond bedtime.

This little boy likes things that go "VROOM!"  He was given monster trucks, airplanes and motorcycles.

The last present revealed was Bracken's new bike.  It's not actually new, we purchased it in Idaho this July for $5 at a used bike sale.  It was pink and it has one white one black wheel and one white one black pedal.  We say it has lots of character.  We have been storing it secretly in our shed and this week we painted it blue, added a little bike horn to it and called it good.  Bracken never felt like his plastic trike made the cut since Nathan received his bike for Christmas last year.  In Bracken's eyes a trike is not the same as a bike.  We figured for $5 dollars we could get him his very own Bracken sized bike.  And he is completely smitten with it.

That evening we tucked him into bed with his monster truck and moto after reading him his new book twice.  What more could a kid ask for!

Ward Campout 2011

This year for the ward campout we headed up Mingus Mountain.  Both the boys were SUPER excited to go camping, Nathan was literally beaming with delight as we drove up the windy mountain roads.  Our family car is currently sick (again) so we all crammed in cozy style into our little truck.  The minute we arrived my kidlets took off to play, I got busy cooking our tinfoil dinners and hot dogs and Curtis set up our trusty tent.  The evening was full of good food, dutch oven desserts and kids playing their little hearts out. 

It won't be too long before we out grow our tent, but for now it works out great.  This year Bracken slept like a champ and Nathan was the restless one who kept me up all night. It rained a lot during the night which made it cold enough to require full coverage by the sleeping bags.  All through the night at least every hour or so, Nathan would thrash about and kick himself out of his sleeping bag.  When my kids are near I am a really light sleeper, so that meant that I woke up every time and even in between to push him back down in his sleeping bag.  Combine that with Bracken's early rising habits and it makes for one tired Momma.

Saturday morning was full of sunshine, and it was

Bracken's Birthday!!!!!!!!!

In the wee hours of the morning after we were all officially awake, still lying in our warm sleeping bags, we sang him his first "Happy Birthday" of the day.  All morning he said "My birthday!" or "I two!" 

With all the rain came lots of MUD. It didn't stop the kids from having fun and running around.  They played tag of all varieties, climbed trees and threw fisbees.  At one point, Nathan with the help of some older boys made their own fire ring with rocks and they were determined to build their own fire in it for all the kids to sit around.  Much to their disapointment that never developed.

These boys are totally in their element!

One family brought a bubble machine and the kids of all ages had a blast chasing those bubbles around.

Even Curtis got in on a few games of tag.  He was "IT" a lot.

As it neared noon it was time to go home because hunger and exhaustion were about to interupt the fun.  Bracken passed out on the car ride home.  After some much needed naps and baths we still had all the muddy gear to deal with, but it was well worth the excursion.

Numero Tres!!!!!!

We are super excited to be expecting are third baby sometime around March 10th!  I say "around" because so far I am always overdue. I hope I'll be over enough to deliver close to Spring Break so Curtis isn't put out too much prepping his classes for his absence.  Next time we need to plan a summer baby to relieve some stress for Curtis.  In one week I'm scheduled for the first ultrasound, and we should have a better idea of the due date from that as well.  But for now we are all thrilled at the thought of having another wee one around the house.  Do I hope it's a girl?  Yes and no. I would be completely elated if this baby is a girl but I am not going to be disappointed if it happens to be another sweet baby boy.  I love my boys and any healthy baby is a wonderful blessing.