little dress

This outfit may not happen again.  It was Monica's
church outfit and she got many compliments.
Notice the dress her godmother Marcela got her, the
hat her godmother Anya got her and the shoes
her aunt Chris got her.  The dress is getting small so
it might be time to retire it.

Monica signing

Monica can sign "please", "more" and "thank you"

No Knead Bread Recipe

Here is a recipe courtesy of our friends, Josh and Tess.

No Knead Bread
4 cups of flour (2 cups white and wheat or 4 cups white)
2 cups water
1 tablespoon yeast
2 teaspoons salt

Mix all the ingredients.  Place in bowl with plastic wrap.  Rest for 12-24 hours.
Place dutch oven in oven.  Turn oven on to 500F.  When oven is hot, take out pan and oil.  Place bread in dutch oven and cover.  Bake in oven for 30 minutes.  Take out of oven and remove lid.

I have had lots of success by mixing different flour as long as the base is 2 cups white flour.  We really liked the mixture of 2 cups white-1 whole-1/2 cornmeal-1/2 oatmeal.

a family hike

 On our way home from Rhododendron, 

we took the kids on a walk last weekend.  

At the Cabin

Here is our godson, Michael!

Jason and Anya invited us to their cabin in Rhododendron, OR.  It was a nice vegging weekend. 

Jack at the cabin

There is this fallen tree at the cabin.  The kids had fun playing "king of the log".

Cece and Jack

Michael stomping around.
 Monica was already loaded in the car...
I will have pictures of her next.

Valentine pancakes

Banana pancakes in heart shapes!

Mount Rainier

Snow covered valley

Dave in the snow!

Got someone to take our picture together before we left!


Two nights away...no TV, no phone, no wifi, no kids!  Monica is equal
parts mad at us and thrilled to see us!  Jack and Cece were also throughly
spoiled by Nana and Papa.

Red Velvet cookies

Red Velvet White Chocolate Chunk Cookies
1 box red velvet cake mix
1 cup all purpose flour
2 sticks butter (softened)
1 egg
2 cups white chocolate chunks 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, add butter and mix until soft and fluffy.  Slowly add cake mix and flour. Once combined, add egg and mix completely.  Add white chocolate chunks, and mix for a minute or so until well combined.  Form dough into one inch balls, and place into the oven for 8-10 minutes. (Yields 24 small cookies.)

These were at hit at Christmas.  With Valentines Day M&Ms, they are still pretty cute!

jack is writing...

This was in church.  After Jack wrote his name,
he asked how to spell Cece's name and my name
and wrote the words out all by himself!

monica with chocolate

Retro day

 Yesterday, the kids got to dress from a different decade. Jack went in his 80s style NY shirt.  Cecilia went for flower power 70s girl.  

Checker match

We had the Mowery kids over to earn a date night swap.  Cece and Abby played checkers like big kids...  Monica wanted to share Cece's chair with her.