5.01.2011

Jake's birthday party and Bicho meets a mouse


Yesterday we went to Chuck E. Cheese to celebrate Jake's birthday (Megan's stepson). Bicho had so much fun (as you can tell). She loved Chuck E. until he came near her.  Then she made a beeline straight for me and dug her head into my shoulder until he left. Yes, I guess in reality a human size mouse would be pretty scary.


(Or maybe it was the face I was making in this photo that scared her. It scares me!)

 


(Please disregard the complete and utter chaos on my kitchen counter. I would like to say it was because I spent all morning cooking, but that would be fibbing...)

I found a recipe for a rainbow cake and begged my sister to let me do it for Jake's birthday. I didn't get a picture of the inside of the cake, but it looked pretty much like this...


It was super yummy and most of all, fun to eat! Making the cake was SO easy, but very time consuming. Someone please have a birthday soon so I can make it again!
(If you want an awesomely yummy cake made for any occasion, check this girl out!)



Happy 6th Birthday, Jake!!!

4.28.2011

Toddler Friendly Vegetarian Tacos


Bicho loves her morning oatmeal!

If I could do college all over again, I would have double majored. I loved my major -Child and Family Studies. But I REALLY love science and chemistry and figuring out how the body works. Yes indeed, I was a science nerd. In fact, when I graduated I was only a science class or two away from a minor in Biology. I wanted to go to dental school SOOO bad until I realized I could not be a super-rockin' orthodontist and a super-rockin' mom at the same time...so I chose the latter - and no regrets about it!!

What would I choose as my second major, you ask? Dietetics (aka become a Registered Dietician). I am seriously facinated at what wholesome foods can do to help heal your body, fight off diseases or even lose weight! But don't cry for me Argentina... with access to the library and world wide web, I can learn all I want about the subject and not have to pay a hefty tuition!


 After reading about how many servings of vegetables children should have daily, I came to the conclusion  we are seriously lacking in the veggie department at our house. So I ran down to my local library and found some clever recipes that incorporate vegetables into everyday, kid-friendly meals. Here's one that we enjoy!

(Confession: we never have hard taco shells at our house. I make our tortillas - if I remember in time... but honestly we have these on tostada flats most of the time.)


VEGETARIAN TACOS (makes 18 taco shells/ tostada flats)

1 (16 oz.) can refried beans (we used food storage refried beans from the cannery and it worked well)
1 (2 1/4 oz.) can sliced ripe olives, drained
1 onion, chopped
2 med. tomatoes
Shredded lettuce
1/2 pkg. taco seasoning
1/2 c. to 1 c grated Cheddar cheese
1 lg. zucchini, grated
Taco shells ( or flour tortillas - or Tostada flats)

If you do tacos:
In a saucepan, combine refried beans, onion, taco seasoning, and half of zucchini; blend well.
Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer uncovered, 3 minutes. Fill each taco shell with 2-3 tablespoons of the bean mixture. Place filled shells on baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. Top with olives, tomatoes, lettuce, remaining zucchini, and cheese. Serve with a mixture of salsa and diced avocado.

If you do tortillas or Tostada flats:
 
In a saucepan, combine refried beans, onion, taco seasoning, and all of zucchini; blend well. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer uncovered, 3 minutes or until throughly heated. Place bean mixture in a tortilla or on a tostada flat. Top with olives, tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, salsa, diced avocado - or whatever pleases your tastebuds! (Sidenote: If you are feeding babies or toddlers tostada flats, be right by their side the whole time they eat!!! They are crunchy and a choking hazard if not chewed properly.)

Super easy, fast and fun! It was a hit with Bicho, who is not a big fan of veggies at this moment. Unfortunately, I did not get a photo of this delish dinner and happy baby.
:::hanging my head in shame:::

Buen Provecho!
 
(P.S. Babies and toddlers have a hard time digesting onions and can cause them to have some really bad gas. Feel free to leave them out!)

4.26.2011

Belated Easter Thought

Christus Consolator

He was born in an obscure village
The child of a peasant woman
He grew up in another obscure village
Where he worked in a carpenter shop
Until he was thirty


He never wrote a book
He never held an office
He never went to college
He never visited a big city
He never travelled more than two hundred miles
From the place where he was born
He did none of the things
Usually associated with greatness
He had no credentials but himself


He was only thirty three
His friends ran away
One of them denied him
He was turned over to his enemies
And went through the mockery of a trial
He was nailed to a cross between two thieves
While dying, his executioners gambled for his clothing
The only property he had on earth


When he was dead
He was laid in a borrowed grave
Through the pity of a friend


Nineteen centuries have come and gone
And today Jesus is the central figure of the human race
And the leader of mankind's progress
All the armies that have ever marched
All the navies that have ever sailed
All the parliaments that have ever sat
All the kings that ever reigned put together
Have not affected the life of mankind on earth
As powerfully as that one solitary life

4.24.2011

SPLASH!







Little Bicho LOVED the splash pad, despite the fact the water shooting from the ground was FREEZING cold!

(A little known fact: Bicho is our little daredevil.  Has been since the day she became mobile.)

Cousin Dy Dy,on the other hand, wasn't too sure what to think about it.

 Looks like I found a new thrill for those long summer days!

(P.S. Are you from Arizona? Because maybe you didnt know in the summer its 90 degrees by 8am....)

4.20.2011

*-*-* Being Rich *-*-*

(We are working on smiling for photos while grocery shopping)

Last night Terbear and I were talking about what it means to be rich (monitary wise - we are rich so many other ways, but that is for another post). Because lets face it, we all want to be rich. Maybe not "wipe-your-bum-with-twenty-dollar-bills" rich, but maybe wealthy enough to own really, really nice stuff that has not been previously owned or worn by someone else.

 We are big dreamers - sky is the limit, no holds barred, give it your all, dream big or go home - you get the drift. So of course we were talking about fun cars, a decent size home with a huge backyard and a savings/investment account that would put Warren Buffet to shame.

But as we were talking, we talked about what being rich REALLY means and the responsibility that goes with it. With credit anybody can own REALLY nice things and have the REALLY not-so-nice payments to go with it. As we thought about it more, we came up with some ideas on what being rich is to the Burner family.

(You can be dirty, filthy rich and spend the money however you like....we will still love you and hope that you will give us some...)

Being Rich is:

1.Going to WalMart, picking the longest line and telling the cashier that you will be paying for everybody's groceries in that line.

2. Not only purchasing your own home with cash, but secretly paying your parents and in-laws home mortgage off as well. While we are at it, lets make sure good ole ma and pa can retire comfortably.

3. Buying your siblings a home and paying their bills for a year.

4. Writing out a fast offering check with four or five zeros behind your favorite number.

5. Purchasing a years worth of baby clothing/diapers for all the new mothers in the labor unit on any given day and wishing them luck on their new journey.

6. Making sure our "family" in South America are well taken care of - for the rest of their life.

7. Donating a large amount to a temple being built in the country you served your mission anonamously (Argentina, anyone?).

8. Purchasing a year supply of food for yourself, your family, your in-law family, your neighbors and pretty much anybody else that you would like.
(ok so I totally get that the blessing come from presonally preparing, but I'm dreaming BIG peeps)

9. Picking your favorite number (again), add five or six zeros at the end and donating that amount to the Missionary Fund and Perpetual Education fund.

10. Taking all the Christmas Angels off one tree at the mall, with the request they replace them with more needy children. Have fun shopping your heart out and wrapping tons-o-gifts. While you are at it, go to several malls and do the same thing.

11. Hearing a story on the news, feeling the need to help and having the money to "get'er done".

12. Retiring early, and serving missions with your schmoopy bum until the day you die.

13. Inviting all of your close family and friends to go on a cruise around the world and pay for their fare (and monthly income they would miss from not working for 3 or 4 months straight). Oh and of course YOU are invited - duh!

These are just some of the BIG dreams that us Burners dreamed last night from our 900 sqft rented condo. We also have lots of personal dreams for our family (that is saved for personal journal - sorry folks!). It doesnt cost you anything to dream, and it certainly doesnt cost you more to dream BIG, so why not?

So - if you were dirty-filthy-could-wipe-your-bum-with-twenty-dollar-bills-but-ewww-because-seriously-who-knows-where-it-has-been rich, what sort of things would you do with your money?




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4.18.2011

Laundry Day







3.31.2011

The Zipper



So funny!!! So clean!!! I love it :)

12.11.2010

Bicho Birthday Part 2

Bicho Birthday Party - Part 2

Four Generation Photo
Me, Bicho, GiGi Morris and Grandma Annes
(Oh - and Steffie and Meggers...)

Attacking her birthday cake!!

Signing "All done"
So I guess I didn't take as many pictures as I had thought of our family birthday celebration for Bicho. Since GiGi Morris has not been feeling well, we decided to bring the party to her! We had lots of fun, lots of food (including the one and only break-the-bank macaroni salad!) and lots of laughs. One thing missing. Lots of pictures. I will repent, I swear.

A September Birthday Party for Bicho

Happy First Birthday Bicho!

Yummy food!!

Auntie Tammy

Aunt Carla and little Travy
(one day they will be betroved because we LOVE the Moore family!)


Cousin Jay and Auntie El

Jay and Katie - newly engaged!!!

Aunt Megan, Grandma Annes, Auntie El and Uncle Jeff


Burner Bunch - drowning in sweat! Its still hot in September here in AZ!!

Aunt Steffers, Uncle Justin and Cousin Dy-Dy
(Sorry Teffers, its the only family picture I had of you guys that night!)
Singing  "Happy Birthday" to Bicho
Bicho signing for more birthday cupcakes. She loved it!
Great job Aunt Teffie!

Yum!

The finished product - one happy, messy Bicho!!

We love you all the way down to our toes and back up again Bicho! We couldn't be happier to have you in our family. You fit perfectly in our little home. So glad you are ours forever!!!
Three peas in a pod!

11.16.2010

Que Pasa, Calabaza?

I know, I know - I have been horrible at blogging. But on the flip side, I have been great at stalking reading other people's blogs. I totally got an earfull when we recently took a trip to Utah about my lack of blogging ::cough cough - Ma Burner and Colton!). So without further adieu....

Minnie Bicho

Bicho gots hops

Ladybug Bicho

 Pretty in blue - sweeping the kitchen...

Peek - A - Boo  :)


The End... for now.