Saturday, November 29, 2008

Christmas pictures

Today we trekked up the mountain to where the snow was. We went up there just to take pictures. The red heads don't like to be cold, so they didn't last very long. Laney could play in the snow all day, and doesn't care if she's cold. Baby just thought it was cool that she was wearing shoes for the first time. Here are few pictures that are cute but will not be making the christmas card.

Friday, November 28, 2008

Addison Mae finally starts to walk

Addy is almost 16 months old and she just started to walk this week. It just takes one day of practice and they are off and running. She's definetly my latest walker. She also started talking a lot this week. I guess she decided this was the week to no longer be a baby. I can't believe all four of my kids are officially toddlers, except for Lane who will be five a few days after christmas. We also took Savanna and Addison's baba's (bottles) away this week. I'm excited we are moving on, but also sad that my babies are growing up. I was gonna post a video, but it's taking to long to respond so I will just put up some pictures that I've taken recently.


Savanna was the only one who would sit to take a picture in front of the shark.






Addison is a very happy baby when she wakes up in the morning.

Thursday, November 27, 2008



Thanksgiving

The Staples family made it to Flagstaff! No snow today, but it has been raining. We had dinner with my family and some church members who don't have family in town. My favorite dish is always my mom's sweet potato casserole. Dad made some very moist turkey and an awesome corn pomogranite relish. Highlights of the day were: Sharing Thanksgiving with Native Americans, Myrna Yellowhair had a great idea and said "Let's reinact the First Thanksgiving!" Playing pin the top hat on the turkey. And of course the yummy food. The thing I am most thankful for, is of course my family. I love my husband so much and am thankful we started a family and the life we share. I am very thankful to all of our extened family for loving and supporting us and our girls. Happy Thanksgiving.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Thanksgiving

Today, we are leaving to go to Flagstaff for Thanksgiving with my parents. I am very excited for many reasons. First, it's supposed to snow! I love taking snow pictures. Second, I miss my parents. Third, hopefully Josh and I will be able to go to a movie. We haven't been on a date for almost 6 months. Fourth, Mom and I are going shopping on Friday morning. We wake up very early, get our starbucks, and are usually the friendliest people shopping that morning. Oh my gosh, I have a lot to do today. We are leaving after Josh gets off work, probably around 6:00 p.m. Today is the busiest day of the year in the grocery business. He's gonna be wiped out.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

10 things I used to do before having four kids...

It's been a long week.

1. I used to roll my kitchen towels and arrange them in a pretty basket
(Now I stuff them in there)

2. get to sit down at meal times
(now I'm serving seconds, refilling drinks, and repeating "sit on your bottoms please", "keep your hands to yourself", and "don't steel Addy's food!")

3. Organize my clothes in color and style order
(I now have 3 laundry baskets of clean clothes that I dig through every morning. At least they're clean)

4. wished I looked like a swimsuit model
(I just want to loose the 20, 30, 40 lbs. of chubs I've gained from being pregnant for 4 1/2 years)

5. Used to stay up late watching movies with my husband
(I'm asleep the second after the title is shown)

6. Used to judge Mom's at the store with crying or misbehaving kids
(All I have to say is 4 kids, ages 4 and under)

7. Used to sit next to my husband when we went out to eat
(Josh is usually trying to keep the kids seated, I'm holding a couple of kids and the whole restuarant is watching us eat)

8. Used to wear perfume
(I usually smell like peanut butter or whatever was smeared on me at meal time)

9. Go shopping by myself
(I'm lucky to make it out of the house with one or two)

10. Used to think of myself more often
(No one realizes how selfish they were, until the kids and reality, came along. Thanks Lord for the lesson on selfishness.)

Monday, November 24, 2008

The Best Turkey Recipe Ever!

For Mine and Josh's first Thanksgiving, I made a turkey from Martha Stewarts magazine. I have never made another turkey since. This is the BEST tasting turkey ever. I hate dry, unseasoned turkeys and this turkey will be very moist and tastefull. One of the things that makes it so moist, is the brine you soak it in the night before you are going to cook it. And the spice butter that you baste it with is to die for. Here is the recipe:

Brine: your gonna need a stockpot

4 cups salt
5 cups sugar
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces (I use a handful of baby carrots)
2 stalks of celery, also cut
2 onions also cut into pieces
2 leeks also cut (remember to wash of all sand)
3 bay leaves (I use dried)
1 head of garlic cut crosswise (I don't remove the skin)
2 TBLS whole peppercorns
1 TBLS ground cumin
2 teasp crushed red pepper flakes
1 teasp cloves
2 teasp whole allspice (I use ground)
8 cups of water

Boil all of these things until the most of the sugar has desolved (Your house is going to smell amazing)

The Brine has to be completely cooled before soaking the turkey in it overnight. I usually boil the brine on Wen. morning and let it cool in the fridge all day. I put the turkey in a huge ziploc bag that is supposed to be for storage. You can add more water to cover the turkey. Don't forget your turkey has to be completely thawed.


Spice butter:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter softened
2 teasp salt
1 teasp ground black pepper
1 teasp dried thyme
1 teasp ground cumin
1 teasp garlic powder
1 teasp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teasp ground allspice
1/4 teasp ground cloves
1/4 teasp ground nutmeg

You can make this several days in advance, just remember to let it soften before you put it on the turkey. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees, cover that turkey with the spice butter and cook for 30 min. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees, add more spice butter, and cover the turkey with foil. Put the spice butter (we use a pastry brush) on the turkey every 30-45 minutes until the turkey is cooked!

Josh and I made a turkey last weekend. (Because it was $5 and it fed our family for an entire week.) We only used the spice butter, and the turkey was still pretty darn good.

Happy Thanksgiving! MMmm, I can smell and taste the turkey just thinking about it!

Saturday, November 22, 2008

MOPS, everyday journal

I went to MOPS this week and wanted to share something that I learned. For those of you who don't know what MOPS is, it stands for Mothers Of Preschoolers. Basically, it is a bunch of moms with small children getting together for food, crafts, and gab time. And childcare is provided, so you can see why I would like something like that! It is a national organization with small groups held in churches. I started going to MOPS when I was pregnant with Laney in California. Then attended in Flagstaff and now here in Albuquerque. It's the best way to meet other mommies when you move to a new area. Now that I have four small children at home, MOPS gets me out of the house every other Tuesday. Anyways, this week another mom (also with four kids) was sharing that she had started a simple scrapbook of her everyday life. She photographed things that she did on a everyday basis, like laundry or helping kids with homework. She did this for a the month May. She logged how many miles they drove in their car and how many e-mails she received that month. So many times we want to log all the good memories or very fun times we have as a family. But I think in 30 years my girls will appreciate the everyday memories and will want to see pictures and journal of what our life was like at home. The good, the bad, and the ugly. In January, after the holidays, I will follow her lead and start a journal with picutures, of everyday life at home.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Why I hate Trix cereal

I just got finished cleaning up after breakfast. Yesterday I went to the grocery store and got three boxes of cereal. It was on sale and I had a coupon. I got two boxes of Trix and one box of Golden Grahmns for $1 each! The Trix were not such a good idea. Here's why:

1. Trix are tiny balls that roll all over the floor while I am sweeping.
2. They are multi-colored, and stain my tile floor red, blue, yellow and green.
3. Also stained are our clothes and baby's face and hands.
4. When milk is added they become sticky.
5. Stuck to baby's bottom, my pants and the bottom of four little girls feet.
Oh dear, I just found two in the living room, I'm sure they rolled in there on there own.

The Staples family will not be eating round multi-colored ceral again!

My morning Jogs

About a month ago I decided that I needed some exercising. Addison was 15 months old and I hadn't lost the weight that I had wanted to. I decided to get up at 6:00 before the kids woke up and go for a jog. When I say jog, I mean mostly walking with a few minutes of jogging. I hate exercising, but loved the time to myself. Albuquerque is very pretty when the sun is just coming over the mountains, and the city lights are still on. I walk up a hill with my back to the city and then when I reach the top, I turn around and get to see the view on the way down. I loved the first few weeks, then lost interest and didn't want to get up in the morning. Then, for my birthday, my husband got me a ipod nano. So I figured since he spent the money, I need to use it and start jogging again. It really was the best gift ever. I forgot how much music moves and motivates me. I have since downloaded several upbeat songs that get me moving in the morning and am trying to jog more than I walk. GO ME! Josh told me that he thinks I have lost weight just in this last week. Thanks Babe. That was exactly what I needed.

A list of songs that get me moving:
A beautiful day U2
Bleeding love Leona Lewis
Don't stop the music Rihanna (I pretend that my husband is dancing with me in this song)
The Story Brandi Carlile
I like to Move it (from Madagascar 2) will.i.am
Pocket full of Sunshine Natasha Bedingfield

Some cool down songs:
Suite for Solo Cello No. 1 in G minor; Prelude Yo-yo Ma
Dona Nobis Pacem Also by Yo-yo Ma

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Are these kids all yours?

At the grocery store: Watch out, there's a two for one deal in aisle 5.

In the women's section of a department store: I didn't think shopping for a bathing suit was hard enough so I borrowed some children to make the experience easier.

At a restaurant: We asked for the Children Section, they came with the table.


At the mall: Bill Gates will give me a $1 for every time someone asks me that question. I'm on my way to becoming a millionaire, thanks!

In a parking lot: I'm practicing to be part of the 10 clowns tumbling out of a tiny car circus act.

On the sidewalk: I'm a gypsy, do you have any kids for sale?

At home, answering the door: I have a boy and a girl. Wait... *counts the children quickly.* Dang it! *yelling over my shoulder* Tell your father to quit playing with the cloning machine again!

While waiting in line: I don't have any kids. *asked in a psychotic hushed voice* Do you see children?

At school: I'm testing the number of children it takes to drive a person insane.

Anywhere: Yes, we're trying to take over the world.

I found this online and it made me laugh, so I thought I would share.

Staples family

This is my very first blog! I hope to use this to update family on the girls and exciting happenings in the Staples family. I'd also like to share recipes and good mommy ideas. Maybe even the days that are not so great, at home with the girls.