Daddy's are devoted too!!

I love all the posts and blogs I read about mom's and their undying love for their children.  I agree, my baby is first and foremost in my life.  But lets not forget the devotion of daddies.  I was lucky enough to be blessed with a devoted daddy.  Even though my time with him was short, he passed away when I was 16.  I will always be grateful for the love and devotion he gave to me and my siblings.
I am also blessed to have a husband who is a devoted daddy.  These are just some of the ways he loves our baby every day!!
1.  He lost his heart to her the moment he held her.  He has been devoted to her ever since.
2. He is not afraid to rough house with her.  He plays harder and longer with her then her mommy who sometimes cringes when he tosses her in the air.
3. He loves her mom!  Watching the way my dad loved my mom, made me choose a great man to be the father of my daughter.  I know she will choose the same type of loving husband to be hers.
4.He tells her she is beautiful every day.
5. It breaks his heart to see or hear her cry.  I pity the boy who breaks her heart the first time.  I also know I will find her snuggled in her daddy's arms, eating ice cream and hearing how "no boy is worth her tears."
6. He dances with her.  He has since she was 3 days old!!!
7.He prays for her, every day.  He teaches her that her Father in Heaven is always there, even when daddy can't be,
8.He plays peek a boo with her, over and over and over again.
9.  He may be SO TIRED of her favorite TV shows, but sings the songs to her anyway, and turns it on because she loves it!
10. He knows when to say "no".  He would love to spoil her rotten, but loves her too much to do it!
11.  He will have tea party's and teddy bear picnics with her, and never think it threatens his masculinity.
12.  He cries happy tears over her when she walks for the first time, when she feels the magic of holidays, or princesses, or Santa Claus, when he watches her sleep.
13.  He can't wait to take her on daddy daughter dates.  Her first? about 6 Months old.
14.  He has her picture on his phone, Ipad, computer, laptop and in his wallet.
15.  When she wakes up afraid in the night, he picks her up and snuggles her close.
16.  This list will grow as she gets older and older.  He will always be the first man in her life!

My Dad's Fried Rice recipe

I  have been doing a lot of Family History research in my "Me" time in the last few weeks.  I found a line on my Fathers side that I have been struggling with for years!!  Last night I printed out some names to get ready for the Temple.  It got me thinking a lot about my dad.  When I was a little girl he served in Thailand during the Vietnam war.  He brought home a beautiful carved jewelery box for my mom and a mini one for me.  He also brought me a cat bank carved out of a coconut.  I still have both of them.
He also brought home his own version of a Thai Fried rice that he made a lot for our family.   I have heard that most Thai food is spicy and this probably should be, but he wasn't into spicy, and Berrett and I aren't either, so I make it with more savory flavors.  I made it for dinner today.

1 LB  of beef stew, or cubed pork or cubed boneless chicken ( I used beef)
1 packet of your favorite "Grill mates" Marinade (I used  Garlic, Herb and wine)
Ingredients called for in marinade
2 TBS soy sauce
1/2 onion diced
1 bell pepper diced
1 to 2 TBS diced and crushed garlic

Mix up your marinade, adding the soy sauce and the onions, peppers and garlic.  Cover and refrigerate for at least a hour, no longer then 4 hours.

1 1/2 cups of rice
about a 1/2 cup of spaghetti broken into small pieces
1 TBS oil
1 TBS butter
3 1/2 cups of hot water
2 to 3 chicken bouillon cubes

Heat oil and butter in large dutch oven or heavy saucepan.  Add rice and noodles, browning lightly.  When rice is golden, add hot water, and bouillon.  Bring to boil, cover and simmer on low for 15 to 20 minutes till cooked through.

Meat and marinade
1/2 TBS oil or more as needed
1 can of mushrooms drained well
3 to 5 eggs beaten
sliced cucumbers

In large Fry pan or Wok, heat oil.  Pan should be hot!! Add meat, marinade and all!! Keep stir frying until meat and vegetables are cooked through.  Add mushrooms, stir until mushrooms are heated through.  If you use fresh mushrooms, its about a cup and cook with the meat from the beginning.  Add meat to cooked rice mixture draining off excess grease.   Leaving about a TBS of oil in pan, scramble eggs on low heat.  Add to rice. Serve each plate with sliced cucumbers over top of mixture.
You could serve with a hot sauce of your choice.

What love looks like...

I keep seeing these Buzzfeed stories about what "Birth" looks like.   I have come to realize that Adoption and birth stories have some differences but they also have some things that are the same...

Like... Waiting for the birth of your little one..

The first time you hold her in your arms....

How tiny and precious they are...

How much they change!!

6 days old

5 weeks old

11 1/2 months old



How much you love seeing her enjoy the things you love!!

And How your heart grows and grows and grows with every passing day!! You can't explain how love expands, you just know it does!

So no matter how a family is formed.. through birth, foster parenting, adoption... They all add up to LOVE!

Maddi's "Frozen" in Summer first Birthday Party!

 We celebrated Maddi's first Birthday yesterday!  I wanted to share some of the print ables since Disney's "Frozen" is so popular!!  I don't own any of the Printable images, I downloaded them of free clip art on the Internet.  I then added my own pictures and snowflake clip art, etc. If you choose to copy any of them and use them, please use only for personal use.
                                     This was the banner I hung by the front door.  I hole punched the top two corners and hung it with a ribbon.

Here is the dress I found at Costco that matched the pinks and light blues I used as colors in the party.

These were signs I had by the photo booth area.

We had a dessert and candy buffet., Rock Candy and Pink and blue Jelly beans along with chocolate dipped marshmallow, milk and white.  M& M's, Marshmallow cream dipped strawberries, and pretzel sticks with the marshmallow cream.  Heart shaped chocolate caramels, and cupcakes.

 This banner hung above Maddi and her booster chair along with balloons!

The Birthday girl, Hat and Bib from Party city.

We had a BBQ and pool party, these signs were attached to Styrofoam balls that sat in cups, they looked like snow cones

Next to pasta salad

With Baby carrots

Dip for the carrots

Pretzel Sticks and I made a marshmallow cream to dip them in. very popular on the dessert table.

Obviously a tossed salad!  My sister in law added fruit and nuts, so it looked very similar to the colors of the trolls.

Variety of fruit, watermelon, grapes, strawberries

I was going to make punch, but soda and water made more sense at the last minute, so attached to the cooler of drinks.

Blue jello jigglers

Marshmallows, dipped in dark chocolate and white chocolate

Strawberries, dipped in the marshmallow cream.

umm.. Baked Beans!

on the dessert table with the cupcakes

I had heart shaped, chocolate caramels, kisses, M&M's regular and peanut.

We ordered Photo booth props from Etsy, Thank you Kcustomables  https://www.etsy.com/listing/184875195/sale-frozen-photo-props-16-pieces?ref=sr_gallery_2&ga_search_query=Frozen+photo+props&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery
I hung a blue table cloth up on the wall, added a poster of Olaf from walmart and various sizes of snowflakes.
My husband has those photo's so I will add them later.

The Marshmallow cream was the hit of the party!!  I creamed 1/2 cup salted butter and then added 7 oz of marshmallow cream.  Creamed that in mixer till well combined.  Added about 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of powdered sugar and tsp. vanilla .  Thinned it out with a a splash of milk or two till it was dippable.  We dipped strawberries in it and also put it out next to the pretzels.  It would be great on Graham crackers, bananas, or even spread on the cupcakes!!
It was a really fun party!!