Conversation with Luci...

Luci: I colored this picture for Jesus.

Me: Great! He'll love it!

Luci: Can I take it to him?

Me: Well, someday we will see Jesus and you can give it to him then...but he is in heaven right now.

Luci: So, he will come get us?

Me: Yes.

Luci: Does he have car seats in his car?

Me: Um, sure...

Luci: But does he have enough car seats for my friends?

Me: Don't worry he has plenty of room.

Luci: Well, what is Jesus's last name? (She is still working on his picture)

Me: Um, he doesn't have one... (After telling the story to my boss, he informed that Jesus' last name is Christ...I told him no...he just has 2 first names! :-) )

Luci: Hmmm, well I'll just give him one. (She never tells me what it is...)

She then grabs a Wal-Mart bag and puts the pictures in there...

Luci: I'll put them in here, and we can get them before we go to heaven.

Her bag of pictures...she traced her hand!

Weekend Recap- Halloween Party and Family Pics

We had another great weekend!!!

Friday night I had something happen to me that I had never had happen before. There apparently was a power surge during the day...and I had chicken in the crock pot...and I came home to half-cooked chicken. YUCK!!! I was so glad it was just a couple of chicken breasts and not an expensive roast!!! Sooo, Mitch picked up a rotisserie chicken on the way home from work and we made do! Luci and I also had fun making Witch's Hat cookies for the Halloween Party on Saturday night!!! After cookies, we went over to Quinn and Mark and played with the kiddos for a while.

On Saturday, we got ready and headed to BA for Halloween festivities!!! We had a pumpkin carving marathon and then had a party later that night!!! We had some fun food for the party!! Everyone had a great time!!

Some of the fun party food...Graveyard Pudding, Witch's Hats, Mummy Dogs, and Ghost Shepherd's Pie!!! So fun!!!

Grammy, Granddaddy, a peacock, a cat, Little Bo Peep and her sheep, and a Razorback cheerleader (Hey, we cheer in this house no matter what!)!!

On Sunday, we stayed home since Luci was getting a yucky cough. Later Sunday afternoon, we had a quick photo session with Jessica Meinardus!!!! She is a great photographer and we loved, loved, loved our sneak peek she gave us!!!!

8 Years

So, Mitch and I have always celebrated our "dating" anniversary. Until this year. We both forgot. Oops. In our defense, it was the same day that Luci had her terrible stomach bug, and we both had big projects at work.

I know it is silly to some to still celebrate our "dating" anniversary...but that day is important to us!

October 10, 2004- Started dating
October 8, 2005- Mitch bought my ring
October 10, 2005- Mitch proposed
October 8, 2008- We found out we were expecting Luci!

These dates have always been special to us! Sure, we may get to the point that we may not remember them every year...but it disappointed us that we forgot this year. Yes, we have been married for 5 years...but we have been "dating" for 8.

I know we will stay married forever and ever...but not every couple dates forever...

Here's to dating my husband forever!!!! Happy Dating Anniversary Mitch!!!

1 year of dating anniversary picture!! I was 19, and he was 20!

Here we are 8 years later! I haven't aged a bit in 8 years, right?!

 "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love." 

1 Corinthians 13

Let's Talk Food Again

I did this http://minnicksmusings.blogspot.com/2011/09/lets-talk-dinner-recipe.html post a little over a year ago on Luci and her eating...

I figured it had been a while...and everyone knows I love to talk about food...so here is another post dedicated to talking about food! Ha!

Luci's appetite is definitely getting stronger on some days! I think she is going through a growth spurt. Most of the time, Luci eats like a bird. She just wants to eat a little bit, all day long. Two bites here; Two bites there. I am really trying to work with her on that...because it drives me insane! lol!

Breakfast is always on the go during the week. Lunch is at school/work. So, I try to make sure that every night we sit down together at the table to eat dinner together. Both Mitch and I grew up that way. Not all dinners are perfect...and sometimes she gets sent away from the table (multiple times), but the point is, not only are we spending time together, we are working on manners. I can't tell you how many times we repeat, "Sit up in your chair. Feet off the table. Use your napkin. Luci, you know we don't eat with our hands." But, she is learning...and is getting much better...sometimes! ;-)

What is she eating these days? Her taste is definitely seeing some changes. Some things she used to eat, she won't touch anymore. Some things she hated, she is getting better at eating.

Favorites: cheese, cottage cheese, applesauce, peas, carrots, chicken, turkey, ham, meatballs, pasta, cereal

Least favorites: Most fresh fruit. Most fresh veggies.

Favorite Snacks: applesauce pouches, go-gurt pouches, cheese sticks, gold fish crackers, fruit snacks, and marshmallows (She could eat her weight in marshmallows)

Favorite Drinks: Milk, decaf tea, juice, flavored water

Least Favorite Drink: Plain water. Now obviously, she has to drink water. She drinks it all day at school (except lunch) and she drinks it when she is playing outside, etc. It is just not her favorite.

Things that she eats now that she used to not like: Eggs, mashed potatoes (still very rare though), peaches

What does a typical dinner for her look like?

Well, there are a couple of different versions. If I make something for dinner that I know she won't like or that is too spicy (chili, cajun chicken, etc.), she usually gets deli turkey/ham, peas/carrots, cottage cheese, fruit...something like that.

This was sometime last week...I think Mitch and I had soup that night...

Most of the time, I try to make "family pleasing meals", and she gets served that for dinner.

Just a typical spaghetti night...

One of the things I have been doing (usually once a week) is making Pantry/Freezer Pasta. Basically, I just clear out what veggies/meat/pasta we have and make up a big pasta dish. It is a great way to get her to eat things that she normally wouldn't eat on its own.

For instance...last night was Pantry/Freezer Pasta night. I cooked some pasta, added in some broccoli, tomatoes, green chilies, (I scooped out her portion before I added it in), bell peppers, shredded chicken, and a little montery jack cheese. If I have spinach, I will usually throw that in...or red/yellow peppers...or sometimes we have no meat...or sometimes we have a different cheese...or I'll bake it with ricotta or cottage cheese...squash and zucchini are really good too...It is just a quick way to clean up the pantry, fix a quick meal, and get her to eat lots of veggies!

Pic of Pantry/Freezer Pasta from a few weeks ago

I try to cook most week nights. Sometimes they are really nutritious meals...and sometimes they are not. It just varies on my mood...and if I put something on in the crock pot ahead of time! My crock pot gets used all.the.time. I don't know what I would do without it!! I like to try new things and new recipes. Cooking is fun for me (when I have time) and is kind of therapeutic on stressful days! Luci enjoys being a helper in the kitchen. Whether it is pouring in a cup of water, stirring something in the bowl, or making cupcakes, she loves to help!

Sometimes I really appreciate the help...

And sometimes I don't... :-)

And sometimes...we just like to get a donut!

Weekend Recap- Friends, Alumni, Birthday

We had a busy weekend this past weekend!!!

On Friday night, I made a big pot of beef stew and gluten free garlic cheddar biscuits for dinner with Kerri and Taylor. We played board games and had a great night. Wow...we sound really old! Ha! We have fun anyway!!

On Saturday, we woke up early and headed out to soccer. Luci did pretty good...but still needs work on being aggressive! After the game, we had a quick breakfast with Mimi and PePaw and then headed out to UAFS Alumni weekend tailgate. It was great to talk to a few folks that we haven't seen in a while...and of course, Luci had fun on the bouncy slides!

Passing the ball to a teammate!

Bouncy slide fun!!

Mitch and I met here 8 years ago...and now we can bring our daughter to the campus where we met!!!

After the tailgate, we went back to the house to visit with Mimi and PePaw...Luci and I also had some fun decorating her pumpkins!! Later that afternoon, Mitch and I got ready to go to the Alumni Weekend dinner. Mimi and PePaw kept an eye on Luci. We had a lot of fun, and it was great getting to have a date night!!

  

On Sunday, we woke up early and headed to Paris. Quinn and I snuck in Mom and Dad's house and cooked Mom a huge, early, surprise birthday lunch while they were at church!! We didn't even tell Dad! Nana was the only one who knew the secret! Mom was surprised, and we had a great afternoon celebrating her 61st birthday!!!

Also, we got a great surprise Sunday afternoon...Jocie and Chase are engaged!!!! I am so happy for them...mainly because I see flower girl opportunities in our future... I kid I kid!!! They are both great, and I am happy for them. Jocie's mom and my mom are sisters. I was 6 when Jocie was born...and she has been a like a little sis to me!!! What can I say? Chase has to be the luckiest person in the world. Only a select few get the opportunity to be MY cousin!! Hehe!!

Sunday afternoon, we headed back home, and I spent the rest of the night doing laundry! Fun fun!! Oh, we did get a little soccer practice in too! ;-)

Life as of Lately

I have gotten back into the habit of just doing "Weekend Recaps" so I decided to just do an update on Life in Minnick House lately so that all my posts aren't just about our weekends!!!

Well, first of all, we have the sickies...well, Luci and I mostly. Luci came down with a stomach bug last Wednesday. Wednesday was a big deadline day for me...and Mitch was working on closing a property at work...so Mimi to the rescue!!! Luci really didn't have the bug too bad...She threw up a few times, and by the afternoon, she was fine. Fast forward to Monday... I started feeling bad at work around 9am. By 10, I was green. I wanted to go home, but I reallly wanted to stick it out because a. I didn't want to throw up in my new car on the way home, b. I really needed to be at work, and c. I really didn't want to throw up in my new car on the way home. I left work around 2:30ish and headed home...just in time. I spent the afternoon and evening in the bathroom. Bleh. I absolutely hate being sick at my stomach. It is seriously the worst feeling ever to me. I had morning sickness with Luci all but about 6 weeks that I was pregnant with her. Again, I can not stress enough how I hate being sick at my stomach!!! I stayed home from work on Tuesday to finish recovering. Wednesday was better, but today I feel almost 100%!!!

Little Miss really didn't want to go back to school after spending the day before getting loved on by Mimi!

Luci and Daddy found things to do while Mommy was sick!

In other things...Luci really likes playing with my hair...and seems to think she can fix her own! One night, I let her have free reign...and I wasn't sure I would have any hair left by the time she was done!!!

She finally produced the finished product with a lot of detangling spray...and a gray bow!

Another thing that Luci enjoys doing all the time is "hiding" under the covers! She plays this game a lot!! It is so cute to me that she thinks she is invisible as long as she can't see you! The innocence of a child is so special. I hope she can hold on to it as long as possible.

In this particular picture, we were hiding from Daddy underneath the covers! :-)

In other news, I mentioned previously that we are getting ready for our annual fall family pics. I decided that Mitch needed a new pair of jeans...and I really wanted him to get a more "tailored" look of jeans...so, not so baggy or relaxed. He wasn't in the mood for shopping, so I told him I would pick up a few pairs, and he could try them on at home. Unbeknownst to me in the guy world...."slim "means skinny. Ok, well maybe not skinny...but skinny for a 6ft 2.5in/ 250lb guy. I grabbed a pair of slim jeans (amongst my other choices) and thought that would mean they would be a little less baggy. I got home and took them out for him to try on...and well, ... I laughed forever...and then took his picture...and then proceeded to text the picture to our closest friends...It. was. hysterical. He didn't think it was so funny (ok, we were both laughing!)...but I will be laughing about it for a while! Yes, the jeans went back. And yes, we found him a pair that worked! So, the lesson of this story is...skinny jeans aren't for everyone.  

So, here it is...My 6ft 2.5in /250 lb hubs in "slim/skinny" jeans. He said he could barely get them over his calves! We have all got a good laugh out of this pic!

And now, just another random pic to close out this post. I love these two. My two favorite people in the world.

They both decided to pass out during story time... :-)

Weekend Recap- Soccer and Pumpkin Patch

We had a fun weekend!!! I am currently home from work recovering from the stomach virus of the year that Luci ever so lovingly passed my way...but more on that another post...back to our weekend...

Friday night we just ordered in take-out from Fuji and stayed home for the night. It was nice just to relax at home!

On Saturday, we woke up realllly early for soccer pics and a soccer game. Mimi and PePaw came up to watch the game. Luci was in a mood and didn't want to play for the first 2/3 of the game...but in the last quarter, she did sooo good! She took the ball down the field twice!!! Progress!!! She was so proud of herself!

After soccer, I drove over to get my hair done by the lovely Amanda! She got my hair all fixed beautifully for our family photos that we were supposed to have that night by the ever so talented Jessica Meinardus!!...but the weather was not in our favor. We have rescheduled for the end of the month. Amanda and I still had a great time catching up and eating cupcakes while she highlighted by hair!

I was feeling a little icky Saturday night so we just stayed in, and I cooked a quick dinner.

On Sunday, we woke up early, grabbed a quick breakfast at the Egg and I, and then we headed out to Porter, OK to meet up with the Oklahoma crew for a trip to the Pumpkin Patch!

At the house before we headed out to the Pumpkin Patch!

Livesay Orchards

Luci and her Oklahoma Cousins!

I just think this pic is so cute!!!

Hay Ride out to the patch!

Trying to find us some good pumpkins!!! There were so many of them!!!

Hay Maze!

Sack Race!

It was so much fun!!! The weather was beautiful, and we all just had such a good time! We got a few pumpkins out of the deal (that we will be carving next week!), some homemade peach butter, and peach salsa!!! Yum yum!!!

Weekend Recap- Cold, Wedding, Bday

Wow! We got quite the cold snap here this weekend! We actually turned the heat on for a bit Sunday morning! I didn't expect to do that until November!

By Friday night the temperatures had already started dropping, so I put on a big pot of chili, and we had frito chili pies for dinner! Yum!!

We woke up Saturday morning, and it was soooo cold and rainy! Luci's soccer game was cancelled, so we ran a few quick errands and then came back to watch Ellie for a bit. The girls played, Luci napped, and then we got ready to attend Kerri and Taylor's wedding reception at the Bonneville House! It was sooo nice, and we had such a good time visiting with everyone! Kerri looked beautiful, and I was so excited to see her in her dress!! Well, I can't leave Taylor out...He looked pretty snappy himself! :-) 

I was so proud of Luci! She was on her best behavior and acted exceptionally well! We were there a good two hours, and she never had a 3 year old moment at all! Sometimes I feel we are doing something right!

After the reception, we came back to the house and stayed in for the night. We have all been nursing nasty coughs and colds for the last few days. We ordered in a pizza, played a little Hello Kitty Bingo, and watched Cinderella together!! 

On Sunday we went to Paris to help celebrate Quinn's bday!!! Mom cooked a big meal that was delish, and Quinn got a lot of really fun gifts!!! Renata, Jordan, and Jathan were there as well to help us celebrate!

Some of Nana's grandkids!!! Ahem, Jocie.

After lunch, we headed back home and just relaxed and played for the rest of the night! Aside from being sick, it was a great weekend!

Magnetic Doll Mania!