Friday, November 28, 2008

Black Friday..

The day AFTER thanksgiving...a day to..
1.) Recover from food coma.
2.) Reflect on the time you had around the dinner table, realizing that     you truly do have the best family in the world.
3.) Be one of those people who gets up at 4am, doesn't shower, and waits in the dead of winter outside of their favorite department store, coffee in hand,shoes laced, anxiously waiting to knock down anything and everyone who stands in the way of them and their BIG SALE. It sounds revolutionary and awesome and all, but that is SO not me. I prefer to casually wake up at a decent hour, eat a few bites of leftover stuffing and pumpkin pie for breakfast...but I do love hearing the stories..YAY for the $5.00 you saved!!
We hosted Thanksgiving at our house this year...it was  a great motivation to clean, decorate, and shove things in closets (which is 90% of of what real "cleaning" is, right?) My dad cooked up an amazing menu yesterday..which YES, was as delectable as it sounds...I thought I would post the menu so you could all start scheming  for next year, on how you can end up at OUR table for Thanksgiving...Thank you Daddy, It's the meal that keeps on giving..

Maxwell House
 - 2009 Thanksgiving Menu

Appetizers
Joyful Corn Salsa w/Blue Corn chips
Harvest Polenta Bruschetta
Antipasto plate
Spicy Pumpkin Soup

Dinner
Spinach-Apple Salad with Maple-Bacon Vinaigrette
Cranberry-Mango Chutney
Butterscotch Baked Yams
Garlic-Asiago Mashed Potatoes
Artichoke-Parmesan Stuffing
Traditional Grandma T's Stuffing
Garlic- Rosemary Roasted Turkey with California Riesling Gravy
Honey Baked Ham
Baked Artisan Rolls

Dessert
Pumpkin Pie with Whipped Cream

I have some great pictures from the day, that I will post later...my coffee and pie is waiting:)

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Quote of the Day..

My little Kyla (3 1/2) has been sick since last Tuesday..the kind of cough that keeps you up all night.....o.k....and  everyone else in the house as well...no sleep in the Maxwell house this week. Every day we assess how sick she is, and plan our day accordingly..of course she negotiates with us, and says she is too sick to pick up her toys off the floor..but she is most definitely NOT feeling sick as she sneaks 2 packs of Dora fruit snacks from the cupboard into her room. Tonight as she was getting ready for bed, A.K.A "purple medicine time", she walks into the kitchen as the night time coughs are beginning, and tells me,

"I'm not sick mommy, my ADAM'S APPLE is just sore" ..

CLASSIC. Jason has tried to tell her a million times, that girls don't have Adam's Apples in their throats, only boys do. But she has made it very clear that she is Right, and we are wrong. And when it comes to kids you have to pick your battles...and at the end of a long day, I was happy to smile and nod:)

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Something Pretty 4 Jazzy...Baby Caden too..

As I mentioned before, I went to Arizona for my cousins baby shower this last weekend..I just wanted to  show what I gave her...Here is the card that I made her with left over newspaper from a vintage film magazine...and grandma's old buttons..OF COURSE! Then my latest gift envy..the purse..because every mom gets tired of the same diaper bag, and can use a sassy bag in the mix to lug around the diapers...I atattched the brown flower, it is actually a pin/hairclip.
So, I know it is somewhat reserved for "weddings", but I decided to use the "Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue" for the gift...well, just cuz..its fun, and shes having a boy:) The Something Old..was three of my favorite onesies of Haydens....one with a guitar that says "rock me to sleep", the next, a "mom tattoo" one from House of Blues in Las Vegas..Thanks Daddy! And the third,  an Oh-so-cute Dr. Seuss onesie.. The "New"..a fuzzy hoodie:)
The "Something Borrowed" was two great books of mine...1.) What to expect *The First Year 2.)Porn for New Moms.... ITS NOT WHAT YOU THINK!!!! My mom gave this book to me when I had Hayden, and I was like "what the heck is this!!" But is actually just a book of scenarios of Dad's and the dreamy things that new moms would all love to hear like, on this page this cute dad is saying "No, you relax for awhile, I've figured out how to fold everything one-handed". Its very entertaining:) 
 The Something Blue...well, Blue Shoes. Everything is cuter when it's miniature:) Good luck on your remaining weeks Jazzy....stock up on your sleep now..

Monday, November 17, 2008

Preggo Little Jazzy J...

After 5 years of promises, I FINALLY made it out to Arizona to visit my bubbly little cousin and her sweet "Corona Family"..Jazzy is having a baby in a few weeks, I was sooo happy to make it out for her shower..We had an amazing weekend filled with tamales, dear friends, and much needed family time around the table..Jazzy and I had great plans of doing a photo shoot the day before I left, but being 8 months pregnant left her napping til 2:00 in the afternoon...(I was SOO there 9 months ago!!) So, we had to improvise and cram our session into 15 minutes alongside the road, on our way to the airport this morning..yay for Hayden holding our hair clips and pumpkin bread by my feet.. while I snapped pics in hyper speed, and pulled cactus needles out of my leg....Jazz, you are unbelievably cute pregnant, no matter WHAT you say:) LOVE YOU!!


Saturday, November 15, 2008

Daddy and Kyky Adventures...

This was one of those days that you wished the whole family could have been there... but sometimes a little Daddy-Daughter Day is just what the doctor ordered. After dropping Mommy and baby-boy of at the Airport we went to Milbrae so we could take b.a.r.t. aka loud train in to the city. This was Kyla's first ride on a real train and as you would probably guess she was a little excited. The train dropped us off on Mission and 16th, a part of San Francisco which I had never been before. I wanted to check out some of the shops in the Mission District but Kyla was not having it. Maybe that is something that Ashley and I can do on a Mommy-Daddy Day adventure! After a quick stop at a book store that I had read about on another blog, we were on our way to the CA Academy of Science. It was such a beautiful day outside that we decided to walk to the Museum so we could see all the cool stuff on the way. After about 100 yards Kyla decided she was tired and that I needed to carry her on my shoulders. So that is what I did off and on for the next 3 miles. Let me tell you that there was a lot more on than off, and don't forget this is San Francisco and there are not a whole lot of flat streets. After a quick bite to eat we finally reached our destination, and was it ever worth the journey. It would be safe to say that she saw some "cool stuff". If you have not been since it was redone I suggest to make a day trip and check it out, and make some extra time so you can walk around the park. It is a little bit of peace and quiet in a not so peaceful city. After another loud train ride and a quick nap on the car ride home, Kyla and I grabbed a slice of pizza and some banilla yogurt ( I meant to misspell vanilla because that is how Kyla says it) and took it home so we could relax, eat and watch icarly goes to Japan. It Was A Good Day!!




Wednesday, November 12, 2008

The Allard Kiddo's

I love photographing kids....You never really know what you are going to get. They are never predictable, and always adorable. I'm reminded of what it's like to be little, and to not want to sit still, or to be too serious about myself.  It's the one time where silliness and climbing trees is actually better than a perfect smile. Because being a kid is all about having fun...and I think we accomplished that here:) Talk about cute little kids. We're talkin pinch- your -cheek- cute..the All-American-poster-kind.  And all just as sweet as the ice cream we spoke of, when in need of grin:)
                                                                           .Being seriously silly.


Christina and Brad's wedding..




Tuesday, November 4, 2008

A-fun-random-fact-that-no-one-else-besides-me-will-probably-care-about...

I finally fit back into my favorite True religion jeans!! I guess all the hours of dancin around with a toddler, and never getting to finish a meal because of a crying baby....has paid off. These aren't just any jeans..these are like "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" jeans. Straight up magical. I think I wore them every day last winter and summer, before I got pregnant with Hayden. Most women after they have a baby just try to get back to their "pre-prego" weight..NOT ME..I just cared about fitting in these jeans again...They just make me happy...as shallow as that may sound. I tucked them away in my bottom dresser drawer and have pulled them out every now and again over these last 7 months....but all I would get is a good laugh, and a moment where I thought I was actually putting on a pair of Ky Ky's jeans. But to my surprise I busted them out a few days ago, and I think some where in the far distance, I actually heard trumpets sound.  YAY!! So far all of you who are pregnant, dieting, or living with life with a newborn....you will be back to your old self, or a new self....Don't give up:)

Monday, November 3, 2008

Sweet Savannah...

I am finally getting around to posting a few pictures of Amanda's little love. (Yes, Amanda was the hot prego girl in the red shirt a few months back:) My dear Kyla is convinced that the baby's name is "FUZZANAH, or PIZANNAH"..and I don't have the heart to correct her, because it sounds so endearing when she say's it. Amanda had Savannah Lynn 2 weeks early and she was just the tiniest little thing I have ever seen.. ( just like the dolls Amanda and I used to play with:) but she is quickly filling out her onesies and is getting those little plump cheeks....Amanda and I can't decide which of out kids should get married.. Jack + Kyla, or Savannah and Hayden.......Hmmmm.....