Creamy Broccoli Cheese Soup....

I tried this soup recipe from www.tammysrecipes.com for dinner tonight. It turned out so yummy! I actually added small diced up potatoes to it too. I also didn't have corn starch to thicken it so I used a little less than 1/2 C flour instead.

Since I am too lazy to write the recipe down I thought I would put it on my blog so I can go back to it. Because I definitely want to make it again.

Now on to searching for a shortcake recipe for dessert!

Happy Cold Friday!

Description:

Flavorful, creamy, cheesy broccoli soup with onions, pepper, and garlic

Yield:

4-6 servings

Ingredients:

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 onion, chopped
2 large heads broccoli (about 14 ounces, fresh)
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
12-16 ounces American/processed cheese, cubed
salt, to taste (at least 1 teaspoon!)

Instructions:

1. In large stock pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook and stir until onion is tender.

2. Wash and trim ends of broccoli and then chop broccoli (including stems). Add broccoli and chicken broth to pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer until broccoli is tender, about 10-15 minutes.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, cornstarch, pepper, and garlic salt. Add to boiling broccoli mixture, stirring until thickened, about 3-5 minutes.

4. Reduce heat to low-medium low and stir in cheese until melted. Add salt to taste (important!).

Gardner Village and other Random Fun Pictures...

My Aunt makes these adorable pincushions.
Kids being silly and posing for pictures.
My Mom went out with a couple of her sisters we happened to be there too.






Sunday afternoon fun.

Dailey loves to grab all the easter baskets and will walk around with them all day.

72 Hour Kits...

While we were staying at home to get everyone back healthy and not spread germs, I decided to clean out my pantry. Which than led to thinking about food storage. Than I realized I am not prepared for any kind of natural disaster at all. Man I never really thought that much about it until I started having children and realizing that I am responsible for them too.

I am sorry to my parents and in-laws who have given the gift of food storage earlier on in my marriage and I didn't really appreciate it. Because it is a good gift actually.

Anyhow I pulled out my 72 hour kits and updated them. I dumped all the food out on the table and went through it and added to it. I also went around and added some personal hygiene items to it such as toilet paper and tooth brushes. I added a change of clothes for the kids too.

When Cole saw all this he asked what it was for. I tried to keep it simple as not to scare him. I told him in case of an emergency and we have to leave the house quickly we can just grab these bags. He didn't quite understand so I told him if there was an earthquake or something and we had to leave our house we would take these with us and than we would have food and a change of clothes and some water. He said " OH, Okay" than he kept asking for the hard candy that was in our bags. I than explained that we would keep it in our bags and only use it when we needed too. Later that day he said several times to me and than later to his Dad; "I can't wait to go on the Earthquake". Kind of funny. I might not have done the best job at explaining it. But I think he thinks it's a trip with candy.

Monster Paint Craft...and story

This little craft project we did a few weeks ago and now they have been up decorating our wall ever since.

We took straws and paint and blew the paint all over our paper to make little monsters.

Than we added little pipe cleaners, stickers, and buttons.

I told Cole we should write a story about our monsters.

Lately, when we tell him a made up bedtime story he will stop us and say, no no no and change our story to have a little more action or something different in it.

So he made up this entire story about the monsters on his paper. It was a great one. I love to see the creativity of kids. Because man do I have to work at it these days. My story was a little shorter and less exciting than his.

Rise and Shout...

I am so proud of the BYU Cougars! They have made it into the Sweet 16!

Okay so after the first win I was pretty excited. I even dreamed that my brother who has ties to BYU brought Jimmer to meet our family. Don't worry it was while we were at the hospital having my baby. But anyhow...

Than after they beat Gonzaga.... I had tears in my eyes. I was so proud of the way they played. I was even really impressed with Hartsock.

They did a commercial about BYU before the game and I loved it.

Than when all the players were celebrating I got tears in my eyes and chills.

Sometimes you just want the good guys to come out on top.

Than not to mention seeing Rose get emotional about it and the fans!

Go Cougars beat the Gators...I believe.

Sick Kids...

We have all been a little sick around here for the last few days.

We have had the washer and dryer going non stop.

We have had our throw up bowls right by the kids. However we don't really seem to catch it into the bowl that often.

We have watched a lot of movies in the last few days. I wish I was a little more creative rather than just throwing on a movie. I tried to read stories too but that didn't go over as well as the movies did.

Kevin was at work Friday and Saturday. However when he was home he stayed up half the night and helped with one or the other child. He is so great. He can last on little sleep and not be grumpy. Me on the other hand. Sure I can get little sleep but watch out I am quite grumpy the next day.

Our Saturday night plans consisted of staying home to ourselves and watching the BYU/Gonzaga game (more on that later). Kevin was going to pick up dinner on his way home but I said I would run out and get it. I needed a little moment away from our sick kids and some fresh air. It was a short drive to Rumbi's but I turned the radio up loud and sang along and it was just what I needed. Than I came straight home. Even that short little break helped me out so much.

Usually the first day with sick kids isn't bad (pajamas and cuddling with my kids) but man when it goes for a few days and all through the nights too it can wear on you. I should not complain this has only been since Thursday night.

Love this song where it says you have gotten to have sickness so you can appreciate your health. (good old My Turn on Earth soundtrack)

Happy St. Patrick's Day...

Happy St. Patricks Day! I do enjoy this little holiday. We don't do anything major on this day. We do make our pancakes green and sometimes will eat other green food. None of this eating Irish food stuff.

We also get a visit from a little Leprechaun who messed up our house a little and left us a few treats. Doesn't really make sense but he is a silly little thing.

Cole woke up so excited to see if he captured him in his trap.

But it looks like as Cole said it " we need a better trap". Next year!

We hung out most of the day filling out our March Madness Brackets and than took green rice krispie treats into Dad's work.

Leprechaun Trap...

On Monday night for FHE we went to the South Jordan Library where they were doing a Leprechaun Puppet show. We got there and the place was packed. We sat on the side and all of the kids sat up front with chairs behind them for the parents. We just sat on the floor with Cole and Day in our laps. They loved the puppet show. The lady that does them is very talented and I love her different voices. It was so fun to hear Cole laugh and see Dailey who was enthralled in it also. I love when you go to a movie and you hear kids laughing all together. It makes me smile to think of the silly things they love!

Today Cole and I made a Leprechaun trap. Dailey played with the tape. Cole made the ladder all by himself. After seeing the puppet show we thought we should try and catch one. Cole wants it as his pet. I just copied one of the internet. Here is how ours turned out.

You can either laugh or cry...

I read a quote by Marjorie Hinckley, how you can either laugh or cry about things that happen to you. She said she prefers the first one the other just gives her a headache.

I thought that was such a good way to look at things though I don't always do it.

I thought I better record this because honestly it was so dang funny. I was laughing so hard. Another morning I am sure I could have cried. But it was just funny.

It started at the breakfast table. We were eating our cereal and Cole "tooted" (as we like to call it while they are young, sounds softer than a fart. Of course, we will say fart when they are older. Can't picture a teenage boy saying toot. He is for sure to be made fun of) anyway. He tooted at the table and started gaging on the smell of his own toot.

Than we went to take a tub. Cole was on the toilet going #2 (sometimes calls it Thing Two) and I was right by him putting Dailey into the tub. He usually just goes #1 and than hops into the tubby with Day. Well he kept gagging and saying man it smells so gross!!! It did smell way bad. The next thing I know I feel something wet on my feet. I look down thinking Dailey already splashed me with tub water. But to my surprise it was throw up. Yep, you guessed it Cole threw up from the smell of his own poo!

So I quickly pulled him off the toilet and threw him into the tub so I could clean it up. Since it is was all over my feet and the floor. He than looks over the tub at his own throw up and gags and throws up more. This time in the tub.

I than have to pull both kids out of the tub. I let them run around naked, while I clean up the puke in and out of the tub and on me.

Than I get it all cleaned up and get fresh bath water in the tub and cute little Dailey takes me by the hand, and shows me where she has pooped on our carpet while I was cleaning up the other mess. When I saw this I was laughing so hard I was crying. It truly was too funny. Oh and Cole kept saying, " I just don't know what was in that poo, that was so gross." He also started gagging more when he saw Dailey's poo on the carpet. I had to tell him to go away until I could get everything cleaned up and Febreez the heck out of the bathroom and hallway!

Funny side note.

On Sunday night we were with my family and we were talking about how we have a tweet account set up. We got onto the subject of how the girls will send out tweets about getting together to do this or that. And the boys at work thought we needed a separate tweet thing for what they called "the important tweets" they think we just play all day. So I said well I could tweet the daily things we do. like picking up poop out of the tub that occurs at least once a week. So after this morning of puke and poop I could not wait to tweet about it!

Also I really want to remember this stuff. Because as gross as it is. It is part of what I do and I sure do love being a Mom.

Muffin Surprise..

Cole asked me if one day I could make him muffins and surprise him with them. I thought it was so funny. Usually he asks about once a day or a week if we can make chocolate chip cookies. But the muffin thing made me laugh. So we were heading home from doing errands and I said "let's go make some muffins" he said "No. Mom you got to make me muffins and than I come in and you say surprise! I made muffins."

He had it all planned out. So funny.

So he fell asleep on our drive back home and I let him sleep while I made our "surprise muffins".

He was excited to wake up to those fresh muffins. It was so cute. He kept telling me Thank You for making me my surprise muffins. :) We ate quite a few and he even let me give away a few also.

But the rest of them he guarded and we put them in a container to keep them fresh. A few weeks

later I found the tubberware container. It was hidden with the other unused containers.

I think he hid it away to save those muffins. Ha. ha.

Skipping Holidays...

It was March 1st and I was so excited to start spring cleaning and all the fun that comes with it that I went ahead and put away the few valentine's decorations that I had and jumped right into Easter!

A few people who visited my home said "Wow, aren't you skipping a holiday. Just passing up St. Patrick's Day"? Well yes I was. I didn't have any St. Patti's Day Decor. But after the billionth time of Cole asking me if Easter was tomorrow, I decided maybe I would decorate for St. Patti's Day. So I packed up Easter stuff and We headed to the dollar store.

We just got a few things from the dollar store and than cut out some shamrocks on my cricut.

I usually do a few things on St. Patrick's Day to celebrate but have never had decor around the house. You know we do the green food coloring in our pancakes and the Leprechaun leaves a little treat. I have seen this one cute Mom who goes all out with the Leprechaun leaving a mess and they try and make a trap to catch him. They even turn the toilet water green. I did incorporate the green toilet water last year and Cole that it was fun.

I love hearing how people celebrate holidays. I also love stealing fun ideas.

Cole and Dad...

I love Cole's facial expressions in these photos!

I was napping. Oh how I love a good Sunday afternoon nap. Especially right now. Cole and Kevin were playing downstairs. I got fully caught up on what they were doing with these action pictures Kevin took with our camera.

Kevin made a jump and they had a good time hanging out downstairs. I think Kevin misses his black jeep. Maybe one day we will have to get him another one.

New Year's Post Forgotten...

Back on New Year's Eve, (Yes I know it's March) my family did a Bush Top Ten Countdown.

It turned into just remembering a few big events throughout the year. But it was pretty fun to think of all the things that go on that year. It was nice to remember things and be reminded what a great year it really was.

I wanted to remember the list so I thought of course to put it on here. Since it is such an easy way for me to remember and retrieve things from the past.

So here is the Bush Family Top Ten which actually went by months.

January: First Annual Wally Ball Tournament-guess Jan. was a little boring.

February: Ben is called to bishopric and his business Voonami's SLC Data Center opens.

March: Baby Garrett Winkel joins the family.

April: Andy beats all levels of Angry Birds!

May: Rachel and Amy run and complete a marathon!

June: Jimmy's 1 year mark on his mission. Liz and Andy Announce Baby Boyer to arrive in Jan.

July: "Best Pioneer Spirit"sand castle awarded to the Bush family at Bear Lake. The Bush family beats the Jeppson Family!

August: The First Annual Bush Family Food Fight. Maddison starts kindergarten.

September: Creig and Mindy move into their new home!

October: Dearden's announce baby to arrive next June. Kevin is officially a CPA!

November: Ryan gets baptized. Mel's get's hit by a car and has her surgery.

December: Dad's surgery with a new knee! Amber joins facebook. Mom is awarded caretaker of the year.

Good times remembering stuff!

Field Trip Friday on Wednesday...

I had to go to orem to pick up some album covers, that are now being discontinued at all Roberts Craft locations. Don't you love when you think things will be around for a while and the next thing they are on clearance. While I'm on this kick I should throw in that I am also pretty bummed that they have closed my Jordan Landing Roberts. What? It wasn't busy enough? Sure felt like it to me. Anyhow. This is how we ended up in orem at the Oh My Crafts Warehouse. We took a trip down their and since I missed my exist, which made for a slightly longer trip, the kids were ready for something fun. So I decided to hit Thanksgiving Points Farm.

Usually when we go on these bigger field trips (like the zoo or the expo) I love inviting everyone and anyone to go with us. Well this was unplanned and it was just me and my two cuties.

Which I absolutely loved! Don't get me wrong. I for always will be that girl-The More the Merrier. But as an unplanned outing. It was just fun. We were pretty much the only ones their. Except for somehow I ran into two people I knew. But seriously most the time we were alone. It was rewarding to pay attention and take in my own kids. How I love them.

Cole was so funny with the animals. Dailey got a little frightened when they would come right up to her. I am hoping to fix that with some scheduled trips to the zoo this year.

The price included a pony ride for Cole and included a wagon ride for all of us. I let cole take the picture of Dailey and I with my phone. Too bad we didn't have our real camera.

What a Fun Field Trip for us.

Spring Cleaning...

Happy March 1st!!! Boy do I love March. I love that today on March 1st it is very sunny outside. I decided that we needed to do a little spring cleaning today. The kids were on board too. We put on some fun music and away we went. They were in charge of windows. Something that does not get done in our house very often. I think the outside windows have never been cleaned. Which reminded me of a funny story I think President Uchdorf said about a lady who would watch her neighbor put out her laundry to dry, and thought the women didn't know how to clean her clothes, well it turned out that the lady criticizing was actually the one with the dirty windows.

Anyhow we will have to get to those outside windows sometime but as of today it was nice just to have the day to organize, and have my kids help and be excited to clean.

Spring is in the air... Also March Madness, can't wait!!!