Coaster Baby

Sometimes while Destroy is at school and Search doesn't have anyone to play with except for his baby brother, the days get really long. Because, where the baby is, there is Search also. I think he has good intentions, but he seems to really get on Baby Dodge's "bugging bone". We are still working on playing with the baby and not on top of him. Although here it looks like we have the opposite problem. Don't let it fool you!

Every once in a while Search can be calm and constrained around Dodge...

but it's rare. He likes to man-handle the baby.

Yes, what you see here are two big squares inside baby's jammies. Those would be coasters and I found about 8 of them in there. Dodge started complaining when the coasters constricted crawling and movement. Thank you, Search for putting coasters down your baby brother's pajamas.


And, being the middle child, when Search discovered that I was taking pictures of Coaster Baby, he figured this would be a good way to get to some attention. Well I guess it worked because you're all reading about it now :)

The Annual Pilgrimage

For the past three years in february we've taken a pilgrimage to the Great Wolf Lodge in Ohio. It's a cool themed hotel with a huge indoor waterpark. It's a nice change when you've been cooped up inside for months. Our google-clad children.

Baby Dodge was a bit hesitant about the water. Luckily he slept like a crazy man while we were there and slept while we swam. He was there in baby monitor form :)

Howling in the wave pool (the signal that the waves are about to begin is a wolf howl).

This year was the most fun yet though because we went with our good friends the Sharps. We also stayed two nights instead of one. Search and Destroy had a lot more fun with other kids around.

We also made a trip to the National Air Force Museum which is AWESOME. Sorry, I'm a horrible picture-taker so we have little documentation that we even went there. But we did :)

See? Where else would they have a cool astronaut suit that you can climb into?

Good bye GWL, who knows when we'll see you again!

Reipces!

CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP

1 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic
1 T olive oil
2 t chili powder
1 t dried oregano
1 28 oz. can crushed tomato
1 10.5 oz. can condensed chicken broth (or 4-5 cups of non-condensed broth)
1 1/4 c water
1 c whole corn kernels, cooked
1 c hominy (look by the cans of corn if you don't know what this is)
1 4 oz can Rohtel (look near the canned tomatoes if you don't know what this is)
1 15 oz. can black beans
1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro
2 chicken breasts

OPTIONAL TO TOP SOUP WITH:
crushed tortilla chips (or you can buy the tortilla strips)
sliced avacado
shredded monterey jack cheese
chopped green onions

Saute garlic and onion in the oil. Add the chicken broth and cook the chicken in it. Add everything else and simmer for 1-2 hours.

PARMESAN-PESTO CHICKEN

12 oz. pasta (I used penne and it was great)
1 pound chicken cut into 1/2 inch slices
salt and pepper
1 T olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 c green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 c pecans, chopped (I think next time I'll use pine nuts just because they're softer)
1/2 c chicken broth
1/2 c basil pesto
1 T minced fresh cilantro
1/2 c grated parmesan
pinch of red pepper flakes

1. cook pasta and set aside.
2. Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a LARGE saute pan, heat the olice oil over med-high heat and saute the chicken for 4 minutes or until cooked through. Add the garlic, green onions and pecans, and then saute for 1 minute.
3. Stir in pasta, chicken broth and pesto and toss until the pasta is well coated. Remove from heat and stir in the cilantro, the parmesan and the red pepper flakes. Serve with extra Parmesan on the side.

Enjoy! I know we did!