Happy 2nd Birthday, Tasmanian Josh!

Today we had family and several of Joshua's little friends over to run around, hop on the moon bounce, and celebrate his second birthday, which is next Thursday, 3/24.

We were blessed with a wonderful sunny day which allowed us to play both outside and inside.  Although the party was in honor of "Tazmanian Josh," since my little one will not stop moving, we ended up going with more of a "Go Diego Go" theme -- his 2nd favorite TV show after "Muppet Babies."  

On the TV, I played Camcorder footage of Joshua's first moments outside of the womb, his baptism, and more. 

 

Notice Joshua's friend Liana in the background; they were trying on hats together.

Joshua went down for a nap before all of our guests had even left, but tonight before bed we opened three of his gifts -- Diego DVDs and Sesame Street characters from my parents, and a wind-up Ernie bath toy from my brother Daniel.

Here are a few videos of him describing his new toys.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Top 3 St. Patrick's Day 2011 highlights:

1.  A warm gorgeous day that allowed for much outside play AND our first dinner on the deck in 2011!

2.  Listening to Katie's tales from preschool today, including how the leprechauns made a mess of her classroom and knocked all the chairs on the floor.

3.  Getting Joshua's hair cut -- he's adorable and ready for many birthday photos!

Beach in February

We're so thankful that the most unseasonably warm day this month coincided with President's Day weekend -- which meant a sunny day on the beach! And even swimsuits!  (and just in time -- more snow is predicted tomorrow)

Here are some fun videos from our time at the beach:

Joshua chases a seagull --- like sister, like brother

My family members slide down a sand cliff.  Of course, the charge is led by the most fearless member of our family.

Another fun part of this weekend was going mini-golfing with members of John's family.  

Katie got putting lessons from her Uncle Jamie:

Joshua tried mini-golfing for the first time, though he spent the majority of the time running across the course and over all the props.

The kids have really enjoyed bonding with their Oma, JPa and Uncle Jamie this weekend.  Here are a few shots in particular of Joshua and JPa enjoying time together.

Happy birthday to me!

Recipe: Spice-Rubbed Pork Chops

It's my first week back on Weight Watchers, and I've found a new delicious recipe on their website already.

Spice-Rubbed Pork Chops

Course: main meals PointsPlus™ Value:    6 Servings:  4 Preparation Time:  10 min Cooking Time:  8 min Level of Difficulty:  Easy

This rub will seal in the juices to keep the meat moist and tender. Try it on steaks and chicken, too!

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Ingredients 1 1/2 Tbsp chili powder    1 Tbsp unpacked brown sugar    2 tsp Durkee Ground Cumin Seed, or other brand    1 tsp garlic powder    2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce      20 oz lean boneless pork chop, four 1/2-inch thick chops      1 pound(s) green snap beans, steamed    1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice    Instructions Preheat broiler and coat broiler pan with cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine chili powder, sugar, cumin and garlic powder. Add Worcestershire sauce and stir until paste forms. Rub paste onto both sides of each pork chop, place on prepared pan and broil 4 minutes on each side until inside is no longer pink. Serve with string beans drizzled with fresh lemon juice.

Joshua's First Sentence

And my heart is absolutely melting...