The Lebdas

Sunday afternoon with Daddy

2011-05-02T12:35:00.001-07:00

Yesterday Dave had the kids for the day and in the afternoon he let Cooper play with the hose in the driveway. He got some cool pics!

Painted Nails

2011-05-02T12:30:00.000-07:00

So we checked out Buy Buy Baby this past Sat. It's our new baby store in Riverpark. It's owned by Bed Bath and Beyond and it's super cool! No more Babies R Us for this family. I found some cute headbands for Sam and when I was checking out I saw they had Piggy

Paint, which is a non-toxic nail polish...so I bought a cute pink and painted her fingernails that night. It doesn't stay on very well but at least I don't have to worry about her putting her fingers in her mouth. I also painted her toes and that seems to be staying on just fine. So fun to have a girl in the house to get prettied up with!

Easter Egg Hunt #2

2011-05-02T11:39:00.001-07:00

This is at Great Grandma Quaids. Lots of eggs to find in the field behind the house.

Easter Sunday Egg Hunt #1

2011-05-01T21:28:00.000-07:00

On Easter Sunday we took the kids out to Kerman to visit their great-grandparents. They had fun having two easter egg hunts. Coop got to where he'd shake the egg and if it was money he put it in the basket, if it was candy he opened it to eat it. Sam found a few... I think next year she'll give Coop some competition.

Easter Bunny

2011-04-24T21:08:00.000-07:00

Yes people the Easter Bunny visits our house... and so does Santa Clause so get over it! It's fun for the kids and magical too. We talk about the reason for Christmas and Easter too so don't judge me... ha. We set our empty baskets out before bed and on Easter morning when Coop finally looked downstairs he came running into our room "the bunny brought bubbles!" Oh it was so cute. We had to go get sissy before we could go see what else the bunny brought.

Bridal Shower

2011-04-16T20:31:00.000-07:00

Great Grandma

The Bride

The Bridal Party

Cousins!

On April 16th we had a bridal shower in honor of my cousin Sarah. Samantha and her cousin Teah wore matching dresses. They were so cute. I think Sam liked having a playmate that didn't try to tackle her. We had yummy brunch and I think Sarah got some pretty nice gifts. I love weddings and babies and reasons to celebrate friends and family!

Girl Friends

2011-04-04T14:06:00.000-07:00

Last Sat. my friends Ally and Lori took me out for my birthday. They bought me chocolate at Rocky Mountain, got me a make-over at Sephora, and dinner at BJ's Brewery.... and Lori and I experienced our new 3 story Forever 21! It was such a great night of being a girl!

Happy Birthday to Me!

2011-03-29T14:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I turned 32! I had a weekend of fun. Frid. night was a date night with Dave at Cheesecake Factory, Sat. was a mani-pedi and hanging out with my hubby, Sat. night we went to Chevy's and Marble Slab for dinner and dessert... (thank you VIP card daily deals) with my parents and the kiddos. Sun. was church and family day. My actual birthday was just a normal Mon... gym, work and home, but my mom made a really good Gluten-Free dessert for me, Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Pudding Pie.

Birthdays...

2011-03-20T15:44:00.001-07:00

This weekend we celebrated Dave's Birthday, my birthday, and Terry's birthday. We tried for a dinner out last night but so did everyone else in the town of Fresno... so we settled for pizza at home with the whole family. Strawberry shortcake for dessert! Happy birthdays!!!

St. Patty's Day 2011

2011-03-17T15:32:00.000-07:00

This year we wore green for St. Patrick's Day.... the whole family. We played with our friends The Wuths at Riverpark in the morning then that afternoon the kids played around the house and outside. I made Corned Beef and Cabbage as I traditionally do. Of course I don't eat it, but Dave and the kids did. Coop was so excited to wear his green shirt since that's his favorite color!

Sam

2011-03-10T15:17:00.000-08:00

These are some pics of Sam after her nap a couple weeks ago. She was just hanging out having fun playing in her room.

Sams Walking

2011-02-03T13:11:00.000-08:00

I forgot to mention last weekend that Sam is walking. Last Frid. she just stood up and started her frankestein walk. She's now in the in between stage of wanting to walk, but crawling is still faster and safer at times.

Family Time

2011-01-29T16:01:00.001-08:00

This morning we loaded up the kids and headed up to Bill and Michelle's in hopes of finding some sunshine. We ate brunch and chatted and then we walked down to the pond to feed the ducks. Well the ducks weren't cooperating but the sunshine did. It finally peeked through the fog and we took some nice family pictures. It was food for the soul to be outside, on their beautiful property, spending time with our families. I love that the kids will all be so close. It reminds me of my childhood with my cousins and I can't wait to see them all grow up together!

Pretty In Pink

2011-01-26T15:50:00.000-08:00

I took some pics of the kids playing last week. Cooper was pushing Sam all around the house on her little ride on toy. But then I had to take some pictures of just her. She was all pretty in Pink!

Buzz Ball

2011-01-15T15:36:00.000-08:00

Uncle Bill and Aunt Michelle gave Cooper a giant Buzz Lightyear ball for Christmas. Dave blew it up and Coop loves to climb inside and roll around the yard.

Christmas Morning continued.....

2010-12-25T15:58:00.000-08:00

After opening our Santa presents at home, we headed up to Bill and Michelle's for the Lebda Christmas.

Santa

2010-12-25T14:55:00.000-08:00

Santa was good to us. Our stockings runneth over!

Christmas Day

2010-12-25T14:41:00.000-08:00

After naps and a 2nd trip out to Kerman we came home and opened presents with Papa and Grandma Quaid!

Zoo Lights

2010-12-23T13:29:00.000-08:00

In celebration of my brother's birthday this year we went to El Torito for dinner. Yummy mexican food! And then we headed over to the zoo for Zoo Lights. It's really fun to walk around the zoo at night and see all the cool lights. Not many animals are out but the kids don't seem to mind. We drank hot chocolate and our friends the Tapleys met us there. It was a nice evening.

Sam's Painted Toes

2010-12-15T13:18:00.000-08:00

So I decided since Sam doesn't suck on her toes anymore it was time I painted them. I waited till she was lying still drinking her bottle and I painted them glittery red to match mine and just in time for the holidays. So cute! (and you know I've been dying to do this)

Cooper's 3rd Birthday

2010-12-12T12:01:00.000-08:00

So Coop turned 3 on Dec. 12th. We had a family party with all his favorite people. We went to Me N Eds and had pizza... his favorite. He played a few games and then it was home for cake and presents. His cake this year had a train and lots of candy. (the candy was his request) He got lots of cool presents. Then on Sunday (his actual birthday) we went to church and then headed over to McDondalds for pancakes and play time. Great grandma and grandpa got him a John Deer tractor. (Mom had to drive him around till he learns how to drive it) He's getting to be such a big boy. He knows what he wants and is talking like crazy. He can count to 3 (his age) and he's learning his colors. Potty training is slow going but we're working on it.

Big Girl Carseat!

2010-12-03T11:49:00.000-08:00

Sam finally got to sit forward in her big girl carseat at the beginning of Dec.

The Fresno Zoo

2010-12-01T11:20:00.000-08:00

On the 1st of December I took the kids to the zoo. It was sooo nice. The sun was out, so all the animals were out enjoying it. There was no one there so it felt like we had the place to ourselves. We ate our lunch and walked around taking in the fresh air!

Thanksgiving and Black Friday!

2010-11-29T16:44:00.000-08:00

We had a really nice, relaxing Thanksgiving this year. On Thurs. we hung out with the kids in the morning and then put them down for early naps. When they woke up we headed out to Kerman and had dinner at the Quaid side... then dessert at the Perry side. ... That night the kids stayed at grandma and papa Quaid's so we could go to the Target... black friday... doorbuster sale. Yes we got a new TV! It was crazy. We waited in line in the freezing cold from 2:00 am till they opened at 4:00 am. People were in panic mode racing to get their items. The TVs were the first to go. It was so funny to see people pushing shopping carts all around the store with TV's in them like it was no big deal. We were back home in bed by 4:30. Friday we went to Bill and Michelle's for fried Turkey with the Lebdas. It was a fun weekend of family!

Sam's Dedication

2010-11-29T16:08:00.001-08:00

We had Samantha dedicated at church the day after her birthday. We were so blessed that Brad was able to do her dedication. He knows us well and it meant so much to us that he wanted to be there. We love our church family. We also had close friends and family there to support us. What a great weekend of celebrating our little girl!

Sam's 1st Birthday

2010-11-29T15:20:00.001-08:00

For Samantha's 1st birthday we celebrated with a Pretty in Pink Party. Lot's of fun and lots of pink!

Halloween

2010-11-29T14:33:00.001-08:00

We took the kids trick or treating this year around our neighborhood. Coop was a "Lightning McQueen" nascar driver, Samantha was a Fairy, and Jet dressed up as a Lion. Cooper was really into the Trick or Treat concept this year. He just wanted candy! He got to have a few pieces when he got home before bed. The next morning I had to explain to him that we can't have candy for breakfast, and we only go Trick or Treating once a year. That's an interesting convo with a 3 year old!

Pumpkin Patch #3

2010-10-26T13:18:00.001-07:00

Last Wed. Oct. 20, we finally took Cooper to this large Pumpkin Patch on 1st and Nees. I say finally because for months now they have been constructing this Pumpkin wonderland, complete with a giant pumpkin tent and monster that you can walk through. I've heard nothing but "look at pumkin tent" from the back seat for 2 months every time we get in the car. So we took him, finally, and he walked right up to the pumpkin tent, touched it, and walked away. They had the giant slide... you know the one where you ride down on a burlap sack and catch air on the humps no matter how much you weigh. They even had some carnival games complete with their very own breed of "carnies". And of course we got to pick out a pumpkin. Coop could care less about the pumpkin as long as he could ride the slide with Papa one more time. Sam... she liked her baby sized pumpkin best of all!

Hanging Around the House

2010-10-25T14:00:00.000-07:00

Here's some pics from the last few weeks of the kids hanging out at the house. I can tell they're gonna be trouble together really soon!

Monterey Bay Aquarium

2010-10-24T20:54:00.000-07:00

Dave, Sam and I drove over to Monterey on Frid. Oct. 15 to spend the weekend and pick up Cooper. He had been having so much fun with his Papa and Grandma in Monterey. He slept zipped inside his Buzz Lightyear tent every night. We all got to go to the Aquarium on Sat. morn. Cooper was on overload. There is so much to see and do.

Pumpkin Patch #2

2010-10-24T20:43:00.000-07:00

On Wed. Oct. 13 I drove the kids to Casa De Fruta where we met Papa and Grandma Lebda. They took Coop home with them to stay for a few days. We got to play and explore some before Sam and I had to head back to Fresno. Casa de Fruta even had a little pumpkin patch of their own.

Pumpkin Patch #1

2010-10-24T20:24:00.000-07:00

On Tues. Oct. 12th I took the kids to a Pumpkin Patch with some moms from church. I just saw it was free and we went.... it was way the heck out west... yes folks we were almost in Kerman! It was a little family owned farm and Coop had fun. (despite the October Fresno heat). He got to feed leaves to sheep, walk through a dark hay maze, take his picture in front of a giant pumpkin and even ride on a hay ride. His favorite part was ringing the Halloween doorbell to go into the hay maze. It was a fun little morning adventure.

Ice Cream at Sonic

2010-10-07T14:42:00.001-07:00

Since we were hot and tired from the 2 hour parade we didn't go into the actual Kerman Harvest Festival, so that night we took Coop out for ice cream at Sonic. He was in heaven and now every time I drive by Sonic he says "ice cream?" It was a fun evening outing for the fam. Unfortunately Sam can't enjoy ice cream with us yet, but she likes to get out of the house too.

Kerman Harvest Festival Parade

2010-10-07T14:30:00.000-07:00

On Sept. 18 we got to be on a float in the Kerman Harvest Festival Parade. My great Uncle Harold was the Grand Marshall of the parade so we got to ride on a family float behind him. Coop had fun on the trailer... I mean float. He waved to everyone as we road through the middle of Kerman. It was fun. Since we were the first float we got to hop off and watch the rest of the parade.... which was still 2 hours long! I don't know who was on the sides watching the parade since it seems the whole town of Kerman was on some sort of float. Anyway it was fun to support our great uncle and see some cool things, like a horse that could sit on a couch.

10 months

2010-09-16T16:15:00.000-07:00

Yep she's 10 months old now.... Still sportin' the CRAZY hair

Our 9 Year Anniversary!

2010-09-14T16:52:00.000-07:00

After lugging all our stuff all around Pier 39 we finally made it to the boat. After we unpacked we headed over to our Alcatraz tour. It was super windy! Luckily the ferry ride was only 10 min or I might not have gone.

Once we got back to the boat we relaxed and enjoyed the "gentle" rocking.

On Saturday we spent the day shopping down at Market Street. That night we dressed up in our "new" purchases and headed over to Scoma's for dinner. It came highly recommended.

We packed up Sunday morning and said goodbye to the boat. We headed off to Castillo Di Amarosa Winery in Calistoga.

We took a tour of their castle!

That's right folks it's been 9 years since we said "I Do". Plus we vacationed on a budget... yes it's possible!

Mom's Shoes

2010-09-14T15:53:00.000-07:00

So I knew some day Samantha would want to dress up in my heels but little did I know.... I came around the corner the other day and guess who had put my shoes on? It was too funny and cute not to take a picture.

Retirement Party

2010-09-14T15:30:00.000-07:00

On Aug. 20 and 22 we celebrated my dad's retirement. Frid. night was his PG&E dinner where they honored several retirees. On Sunday we had a family and friends party at Meadow Lakes. It was a really nice day. The kids played and lots of our friends and family hung out and visited. It was the perfect way to celebrate!

9 month Birthday

2010-08-20T15:21:00.000-07:00

So Sam turned 9 months old on Aug. 6.... I dressed her in this cute green dress and took her picture!

A day at Papa and Grandma's

2010-08-19T15:04:00.000-07:00

2 weeks ago I went up to my parents to pick up the kids... I found Coop out back, so content in the sandbox, with his hat on backward. What a cute sight to see. It was such a nice day. We went for a walk and enjoyed the outdoors without sweating to death. I love to change up our "routine".

Big Boy Bed

2010-08-12T17:12:00.000-07:00

We turned Coop's crib into a big boy bed. It's been an adjustment for everyone now that he can get up on his own. He likes to run to the window in the morning when he hears daddy's truck and watch him leave.... and daddy leaves early. We got Cars bedding for it.

Crazy Hair

2010-08-12T15:42:00.000-07:00

I just love these pics I took a few weeks ago of Sam and her crazy hair.... ok I put a bow on the poor baby. But seriously why do my babies have crazy hair? Coop did too!

Cousin Teah

2010-08-12T15:11:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we took a day trip to Salinas to visit Cousin Teah. It was so nice to get out of the hot Fresno sun. Cooper's favorite part of Teah's house was her toddler bed with the canopy. He kept climbing in and out just cause he could. It was a nice day and we are thankful for our family!

Backyard Pool

2010-08-12T15:05:00.000-07:00

We got this little pool for the backyard at the beginning of July. I wasn't that "into" it until I realized how nice it is to have a place to cool off in the afternoon. It gives us another option to play instead of being stuck inside when it's 103. The kids love it. Dave has taken it on as his little project. He keeps the chlorine levels in check and runs the filter each night. Coop has also been taking swim lessons again this summer and has really caught on. Emily his teacher did a great job. He loves to be in the water now and he can hold his breath and swim to the side!

Gault Wedding

2010-07-30T14:49:00.000-07:00

On July 10th Dave and I attended the wedding of my good friend Dylan. It was a gorgeous wedding up in Oakhurst. We got to make a little weekend out of it while the kids stayed home with grandma and grandpa Lebda. The ceremony was outside and everyone stood around a cute little pond. The reception was also outside and the whole evening turned out perfect. The bridsmaids dresses were so cute, and of course Bree the bride was beautiful. They have been together a long time and this wedding reflected them and their relationship so well. It was fun for me to see a lot of friends I went to school with and hadn't seen in years. We had a great time celebrating Dylan and Bree and the start of their new life as a married couple!

First Movie!

2010-07-30T14:43:00.000-07:00

On July 9th we took Cooper to see his first movie in the theater. We saw Toy Story 3. He did so good. He was so overwhelmed at first with all the previews. He just stared at the screen, almost without blinking. We took puffed corn snacks and he munched on them without even looking at the bag, eyes glued to the movie screen. He also is still too little to sit in the theater chairs by himself... they fold up... so he sat on our laps the whole time. He got a little bored toward the middle of the movie but once the ending action picked up he finished watching it. Such a fun experience and a great movie!

4th of July

2010-07-20T14:58:00.000-07:00

We Bar B Q'd at our house for the 4th. Bill, Michelle, Jet, and My parents came over. After dinner we had a fireworks show in the front yard. I love the picture of Cooper with all the fireworks on the tail gate of the Toyota truck and the beer in the mix.... Yes we are red neck but isn't that what this country is founded on darn it we should celebrate! Jet didn't care too much for the fireworks but it may have to do with his needing bed more than being scared. Of course we always end the night with sparklers. Some day I'll teach Coop and Sam how to write their name with it.

Zoo with Cousin Jet

2010-07-20T14:48:00.000-07:00

So we got over our sickness and got super busy! We went to the zoo with cousin Jet on June 29th. It was hot but we had fun anyway! I think Sam and Jet are still a little to young for the zoo but it's just nice to be outside. Cooper tried to feed the Giraffes but they weren't hungry so he settled for digging up dinosaur bones.

sick again

2010-06-24T18:42:00.000-07:00

So the whole family has been sick with the stomach flu this whole week. I'm tired of it! Please pray we get better soon.

Friday Photo Shoot

2010-06-13T14:40:00.000-07:00

Friday morning I put this super cute Cherry Onsie on Sam and set her down in the white chair in her room. She looked so cute sitting there I had to run and get the camera. Here's the pics I came up with. I even talked Cooper into getting into a few with her.

Memorial Day

2010-06-10T15:18:00.000-07:00

Here's our Memorial Day Weekend. We had a nice time visiting with family. Grandma and Grandpa Lebda were in town and all of us headed up for a lake day on Sunday. It was Sam's first trip on the boat. She didn't care for the life jacket but certainly tolerated it better than Coop did as a baby. It was beautiful weather. The water was really cold but Coop didn't mind splashing around in it. On Monday we just relaxed around our house and had a family day.

I picture the music from the volleyball scene in Top Gun when I look at this pic. "Playin with the boys!"

Jumper Roo Too

2010-06-10T14:59:00.000-07:00

So Cooper used to love to bounce in this little bouncer and so does Samantha. It's so cute when she really gets going. Coop tries to climb in it every once in a while too. Boy is that a sight! His big legs all crunched underneath him. Fun times!

Sick of being Sick!

2010-06-01T20:40:00.000-07:00

I have been sick for a week and a half and I'm sick of it! I was really down last week. It's some kind of flu-cold thing. It's really put me out. I'm still sick this week, although I am finally functioning. I don't realize how much I am responsible for until I can't do it all. The worst is I have not cleaned my house in 2 weeks, but you know I think the Lord is showing me priorities. It's the Martha and Mary syndrome. I need to be more like Mary.
So I will post pictures of our weekend full of family but for now let me tell you about our yummy dinner we had last night. I thought we might Bar B Q but I ate a lot of food yesterday so I was feeling like an appetizer dinner. Dave and I do this every so often and it's fun when we do. Last nights menu consisted of caprese salad skewers (1 cherry tomato + 1 basil leaf + 1 mini ball of fresh mozzarella... drizzled in olive oil and balsamic vinegar = YUMMY... you eat it off the skewer in 1 bite!) 3 different flavors of goat cheese, sliced sharp cheddar, 4 different types of crackers, sliced sausage for Dave and bruschetta warmed in the oven and topped with Parmesan cheese. It's fun to eat, Cooper even got in on it last night. He took his half a cracker and kept lightly dipping it in the Goat Cheese.

Portuguese Celebration Parade

2010-05-18T16:45:00.000-07:00

This last Sunday Cooper was asked to march in the Kerman Portuguese Celebration Parade by my cousin Camille. She was the Queen this year in the parade and as the host of the Kerman Parade she got to have an extended court marching with her. Cousin Teah marched too. I was actually pleasantly surprised at how well Cooper did. He held Teah's hand and marched almost the entire way to the church. The parade starts at the Portuguese hall and ends at the Catholic Church. Once there everyone attends mass and the procession marches back to the hall. Back at the hall a Portuguese classic dish of "Soupish" is served. We got to march alongside them and take pictures. This is a tradition I have been involved since I was little. I was an attendant but never the queen. It's amazing how the dresses and capes have changed over the years. They are very elaborate and ornate now... oh and lots of the girls had strapless gowns! We would never have been allowed to wear strapless gowns into church. It was a fun day spent with family and brought back lots of memories for me and my cousins. Dave got to experience some of my family and culture

Sammy's 6 months

2010-05-18T15:04:00.001-07:00

I'm calling these her 6 month pics. I made Dave do a photo shoot in the grass at the Motorcycle ride. I took her to the Dr. for her 6 month appointment on her 6 month birthday. She is 14 lb and 26" long. She seems to be growing along the same curve as Cooper. The Dr. said the next thing to work on is getting her to sit up on her own.

Motorcycle Ride 2010

2010-05-18T13:43:00.000-07:00

On May 2 we had the Motocyle Ride/Bar-B-Q. The weather was amazing this year. Coop had so much fun running around in his little Harley overalls, watching all the motorcycles. Little Sam hung out in the baby carrier the whole time. She even fell asleep for an hour and half while I served salads in the buffet line.

My Dad Retired!

2010-05-18T13:38:00.000-07:00

So my dad officially retired on April 29! Yay for our new full time babysitter! Just kidding, we are excited for him and his well deserved retirement!

Sammy Rolled Over

2010-05-18T13:34:00.000-07:00

So Sam rolled over from her back to her tummy for the first time all on her own on April 28th! Now she does it all the time. She gets mad though cause once she's there she doesn't know to roll back over when she's tired. I am constantly rolling her over to her back and just cause she can, she's back to her tummy and

frustrated!

Winco Grandma Peanutbutter Cookies

2010-05-18T13:24:00.000-07:00

So several weeks ago we were in Winco as a family and I was explaining to Dave that I was going to make Peanut Butter Cookies... hence the reason for grabbing the jar of peanut butter off the shelf. Well this little old lady over-heard me and proceeded to give me the "easiest best Peanut Butter Cookie recipe". 3 ingredients people! 1 cup sugar, 1 cup peanut butter, and 1 egg! I know I thought the lady was crazy.. so I tried them that night. They actually worked. Now I wouldn't call them the best cookies ever. I have a better recipe with butter and honey and other yummy ingredients, but if your itching for some super quick and simple peanut butter cookies then these are perfect. I would reccommend chunky peanut butter which is what she suggested also. I know you're gonna make them tonight too!

Busy!

2010-05-18T13:17:00.000-07:00

So life has been crazy busy. I have been using the little bit of free time I have to read my new Beth Moore book and most recently pour my creative brain-power into making fabric flowers. They've become my obsession. It's good to get my mind off the stresses of life and create! I'll try to catch up. We have lots of pics on the camera and sometimes that just gets overwhelming so I don't post at all... but I'll see how for I can get this afternoon on getting up to date. Thanks for being patient and letting me take a break.

Kids Cookbook Cookies

2010-04-24T15:48:00.000-07:00

This week I was craving cookies. Ok I'll be honest I have been craving nothing but comfort food the last 2 weeks. That's just what happens when you don't feel good... and the weather's rainy... or sunny... or... ok they're all just excuses to bake some cookies!
So I pulled out an old recipe from a kids cookbook I used to love to bake out of. The name of these cookies is long but true. The batter is super tasty.
I substitute chopped almonds when I make these because I have a ton of almonds around my house and I like to support the almond industry since that's what my family farms!
Hope you try them and enjoy!

Darrell’s Forget the Cookies Just Give Me That Batter Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 1/8 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 bag chocolate chips (6 oz)
1/2 cup walnuts (optional)

Directions:
1. In a small bowl, melt the butter. While it’s hot, add both sugars. Stir, then let cool a bit.
2. While the butter mixture is cooling, mix the flour, soda, and salt in the mixing bowl
3.In a small bowl, beat the egg lightly with a fork. Then add the egg and vanilla to the butter mixture. Stir.
4. Now add the butter, egg, and vanilla to the flour mixture in the mixing bowl. Stir again, then add chocolate chips and nuts if you want them.
5. Stir everything until it’s all mixed up well and put the bowl in the refrigerator for about an hour to cool.
5.5 Turn oven to 375 degrees 10 min before you take the cookies out of the oven.
6. When time is up, get your cookie sheet – don’t grease it. Roll the dough into walnut sized balls , put them on the cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Don’t overcook! You want your cookies to be moist and chewy. Take them off the cookie sheet carefully with your spatula and let them cool.

Lips

2010-04-20T21:11:00.000-07:00

I just love Sam's little lips. They are so sweet and girlie. We're having so much fun taking pictures with the new camera!

Sunday

2010-04-20T20:53:00.000-07:00

On Sunday morning we went up to Bill and Michelle's for breakfast. We got some cute pics of Jet and Samantha. She just stared at him while he talked. At one point he leaned over like he was gonna tell her a secret. I'm sure they will have lots of secrets as they grow up together! We attempted a picture with all 3 kids for grandma Lebda, but Coop was just too crazy to sit and smile for us. We'll keep trying. In the mean time enjoy the pics of the babies!

Saturday

2010-04-20T20:35:00.000-07:00

We had a fun weekend. On Sat. morning the kids got to go to Breakfast with the Animals at the zoo. That afternoon we took Coop to the park and let him play on the slide.

Sickies

2010-04-20T20:28:00.000-07:00

I have been sick for almost 2 weeks now. I went to the Dr. last week and she said it was allergies... I don't know it doesn't feel like allergies. I had body aches, a sore throat, coughing and a runny nose. (No sneezing, watery eyes like you would think with allergies). Anyway I have been down and out. We watched a lot of movies last week and I really felt like a dead beat mom. I haven't been to the gym and I just feel off! So I'm finally feeling better and I was ready to get back to our routine this week and Cooper wasn't feeling well yesterday. I was really worried about him yesterday morning because I just couldn't tell what was going on. He kept saying "owie" and pointing to his head. Last night he had a fever of 102 but I think we finally figured it out. I think it's his 2 year molars causing all the problems. He deffinately has them coming in and I'm certain they would make his head hurt. This morning he told me "teeth owie". He was mostly himself today, although I can tell when the Tylenol wears off. Hopefully he'll be better soon and we can get back to normal life around here.

Ski Day

2010-04-13T15:25:00.001-07:00

On Sunday we had our annual Bar B Q Ski Day at Sierra Summit. Cooper had lots of fun. He was all bundled up in his snow suit so he just ran around all day. Poor little Sammy didn't have such a good day. She got a little car sick on the way up there and then she had to stay bundled up and I don't think she liked the cold snow at all. Maybe next year when she can run around with brother?

Cookie Thursday

2010-04-13T14:05:00.000-07:00

Last Thurs. Cooper and I baked spring cookies. The weather was keeping us inside so we had to do something fun. He loves when I pull the chair up to the kitchen island. He knows we're going to make something yummy. He just likes to lick the spoon and taste the final product.

When mom's away...

2010-04-07T13:52:00.000-07:00

Last Thurs. I got an evening to myself to go to the mall and spend some of my birthday money. Well apparently this is what goes on when I'm away....

Easter 2010

2010-04-07T13:40:00.001-07:00

So Sunday morning Coop found the candy from the Easter bunny and brought it upstairs before we even made it down. He didn't care about anything else in his baskets except for the "cany". We tried really hard but didn't quite make it to church, which we found out was packed anyway. So maybe God wanted us to leave seats for visitors anyway. We loaded in the car (since we were ready to go) and got Starbucks and drove around for an hour. The kids were occupied in the backseat and Dave and I got to share with each other what God had done in our lives over the week. Then we headed out to Kerman for 2 family lunches. Coop really got the hunting for eggs concept this year as soon as he figured out there was candy in them. It was like Christmas for Coop. My family spoiled him with lots of toys and candy. We came home with new trucks, books, and lots of bubble toys. It was a fun day! Hope yours was too.

Hoppy Easter

2010-04-07T13:37:00.001-07:00

Thought this pic of Sam on Easter was cute and thought I'd share it!

Family Traditions

2010-04-07T13:12:00.000-07:00

Last Wed. the kids and I went out to my grandma's in Kerman and made Sweet Bread. My Aunt and cousins met us there. It's a family recipe made the old fashion way... that's right you have to let the dough rise! It's so good and it reminds us all of our child hood. So my aunt has been passing on the family tradition and making the bread with us the last couple of years. She's making sure we do it ourselves and learn how everything should look through the whole process. It's an all day affair but worth it when we take home bags of fresh baked, melt in your mouth, taste of childhood, delicious bread. I took some pics of Cooper, Sam and Teah playing while we waited for the dough to rise.

My Birthday!

2010-03-29T21:02:00.001-07:00

I had a wonderful birthday weekend. It began on Sat. with an afternoon to myself. That's right I got to do what I wanted to do all by myself. My parents took the kids for the night and I was free to be me! I ran some errands and then went and got my feet rubbed. That night Dave and I got to go on a date. We had dinner at Campagnia's and I had my most favorite, yummy dish. Grilled Halibut on top of mushroom asparagus risotto with a super delicious carmel asian sauce. I could have licked the plate clean, but the restaurant is a little fancy for that! Then we went to see Shutter Island so I could get a little Leonardo fix. It was a "twisty" movie, lots of confusion that basically gets answered in the end.
Sunday was my actual birthday... I turned 31 this year... crazy that I am already that old and yet I am still young! We went to church and then had our family over for breakfast. Dave cooked crepes for everyone. We sat outside and enjoyed the awesome spring weather. I

opened my gifts and ate my over the top Costco 4 Layer Chocolate Cake.... this is the cake to have if you are a chocoholic like me... but beware it will give you a chocolate buzz! I ended the day with In N Out for dinner and holding Sam while she slept in my arms. That's the best! I felt very blessed this March 28th, thanks to my family and friends.

St. Patrick's Day

2010-03-23T14:17:00.000-07:00

So I dressed my family in green last Wed. for St. Patty's day. Yes I even dressed my husband, ok not really but I reminded him like 25 times the night before and he wore a shirt with green in it. Sam is wearing a onesie that Cooper wore and I gave her lots of kisses even though she isn't really Irish... ok I think one of the sides of the family has Irish in it. This pic of her I had to take quickly because she had pooped all over the back of it and I needed to get her picture on the 1 day she could wear that outfit so here she is! I was also very domestic and made Corned Beef and Cabbage and green mint brownies. I had left over mint icing so I also put together mint cookies with green icing in the middle which is the treat Cooper is enjoying in his green shirt. Yes we celebrated St. Patrick's Day and some time when I feel like it I will post my delicious recipe for what turned into Mint Chocolate Brownie Dessert.

Sunday in Monterey

2010-03-23T13:55:00.000-07:00

So 2 Sundays ago when we were in Monterey we got a picture with all the Sewall kids. Jet, Samantha and Elisha were all born a month apart last year. It was so fun to see the three of them together. They each look so different but I do have to say we all make cute kids! It was a short visit with the family but just enough to see how much everyone has grown and to know our family is doing well. Grandma looked great too and she got to meet her 2 newest great grandkids! Consider this post a big hug from Fresno to the Coast!

Saturday in Monterey

2010-03-21T15:52:00.000-07:00

2 Saturdays ago we were in Monterey. ... We took Cooper to Dennis the Menace park and he loved it. There was so much for him to do and the weather was perfect. After that we walked along the Warf and enjoyed the sunshine. After our naps we headed back into Monterey for dinner at Bubba Gumps. (It was super yummy food even re-heated!)

Uncle Bill

2010-03-21T15:44:00.000-07:00

Coop loves his Uncle Bill. Dave took these pics of the two of them last Sat. morning in Monterey. He was sleepy and enjoying his rest in uncle Bill's arms. I think they're so cute and can't wait for Jet to be old enough to have a matching haircut like his daddy's and uncle Dave's!

Picture of the Day

2010-03-11T14:51:00.001-08:00

My dad took some pictures for us of Sam on Sunday. I loved this one! She's looking up at me and holding onto her little bear that she loves to snuggle with. This is my picture of the day. Happy Thursday!

I'm a Mommy

2010-03-09T19:44:00.000-08:00

Some days the reality of being a mommy slaps ya right in the face... today was one of those days for me. I dealt with lots of poop problems, pee every where, snotty noses, melt downs, screaming baby and that was all before nap time. But some how the Lord gave me 40 minutes of peace and quiet to spend with Him, reflecting on his word, journaling and asking for his grace to get me through round 2 of my day.. and guess what he did! I survived and even found moments of sweetness in my babies today. Like watching Cooper have so much fun playing at the park and sliding down the slide and snuggling with Sammy after her bath tonight. It's a tough job but I wouldn't trade it for the world. This time is gonna fly by and I'll miss it when it's gone I know.

Friends

2010-03-08T21:52:00.001-08:00

Ashley is 2 days older than Cooper. The two of them have had regular play dates for the last 2 years. We like to affectionately call them boyfriend and girlfriend. It is so fun for me to see them play together... well at this age it's play seperate and sometimes interact if the other one has the toy they want. I love watching them grow up together. Ashley now has a new little brother to play with Samantha. Rusty was born this week and I got to meet him today. I was so bummed I forgot to take his picture while he was here. He is so tiny and cute! You can check out Becca's blog on my blog roll under The Wuth's.

Fresno Home and Garden Show

2010-03-08T21:44:00.000-08:00

It's become a tradition, much like the Big Fresno Fair, but it's the Fresno Home and Garden Show. We love to walk around and browse the exhibits for inspiration. It's always great weather and fair food never disappoints.

Happy Baby

2010-03-06T13:10:00.000-08:00

My little Sam is just like a woman... she talks all the time! She wakes up early in the morning just talking in her crib. Sometimes if I leave her she'll talk herself right back to sleep only to wake up an hour later to talk some more. She screams too, not mad screams, little girly happy screams. It's just so cute. I don't remember Coop talking this much at 4 months. Speaking of 4 months, today is her 4 month birthday! She is really growing fast and it's so fun to see her starting to get a little personality. I don't know where the happy morning baby comes from, that certainly isn't in the genes from Dave and I. It does make it much easier to get up to feed her when she is all smiles in her crib.

Big Brother....Little Sister

2010-03-02T20:20:00.000-08:00

On Saturday I was getting ready for our dinner out and I let Cooper sit on the counter and look through my makeup. I turned my head for a few seconds to talk to Dave and when I looked back he had dumped out an entire container of loose shimmer powder. I took responsibility for not watching him and let him know he wasn't in trouble, but he had to be stripped down to his diaper. The next thing I knew he was on the bed giving Sam kisses. It was the cutest scene with him in his diaper and her on her tummy wondering what was going on. I saw it as the perfect photo op and Dave ran for the camera.....

Happy Birthday to my Awesome Husband!

2010-03-01T18:03:00.000-08:00

So Dave is a leap year baby... which means he only really has a birth-day every 4 years. This year was not one of them. We spent the weekend celebrating HIM. On Saturday night we ate at Famous Dave's (his favorite restaurant for multiple reasons... 1. the food 2. he thinks it's named after him) My parents, Bill, Michelle, and Jet, our friends The Bulls, and of course Coop and Sam all had dinner. I got Dave a new Silver iPod nano which he is super excited about.! After dinner I tagged along with the boys to see The Book of Eli. It was a great movie. A little violent for my taste but the story line and message are worth enduring the violent scenes.

Yesterday morning we went to church then headed over to Panera for some coffee and bagels enjoyed outside in the beautiful weather with our little family. Dave bought himself a cool new Fossil watch with his birthday money and last night he ended his celebration with a Cold Stone Strawberry Ice Cream Cake... Yum!

Happy Birthday to my Awesome Husband.

Saturday Update

2010-02-27T09:03:00.000-08:00

So I haven't had time to sit down since Tues. to update. If I could figure out a way to update from my iPhone then I would.... so if any of you know the app I need to do that let me know.
Thurs. night I made Chicken Asparagus Crepes for dinner. You can find the link at the Food Network website at this link for Paula Deen. Making crepes has a learning curve each time so luckily the recipe makes plenty in ratio to the filling. I know it's gross but it really is a scientific phenomenon that your pee smells like Asparagus after eating it. Something I've once again been amazed by this week after enjoying this recipe.
Last night we had some friends over for coffee and dessert. It was my long time... and I mean long time, friend Erin and her husband Joey. Erin and I have known each other since we were 8 years old! It was so nice catching up with them. Joey is in the military so they just moved back to Fresno fairly recently. They don't have kids yet so hopefully we didn't scare them with our crazy Cooper.
Here is the recipe for the dessert I made last night:

Tiramisu Toffee Dessert

Ingredients
1 (10.75 ounce) package frozen prepared pound cake, thawed and cut into 9 slices
3/4 cup strong brewed coffee
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup chocolate syrup
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 (1.4 ounce) bars chocolate covered English toffee, chopped

Directions
Arrange cake slices on bottom of a rectangular 11x7 inch baking dish, cutting cake slices if necessary to fit the bottom of the dish. Drizzle coffee over cake.
Beat sugar, chocolate syrup, and cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add whipping cream; beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Spread over cake. Sprinkle with chocolate-covered toffee candy.
Spread frosting over cake. Sprinkle with toffee candy. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, but no longer than 24 hours to set dessert and blend flavors.

Tough Tuesdays

2010-02-23T19:43:00.000-08:00

Tuesdays are tough cause Dave has his men's group on Tues. nights. Which means he flys in the door after work, exhausted and stressed, eats some dinner, gives a round of kisses to the fam and he's off again. That also means the kids and I drive each other crazy all day long! I look forward to putting them to bed and enjoying an evening to myself but most weeks I'm so tired that really just means going to bed early and not feeling guilty leaving Dave alone on the couch.

With that said I would like to start posting when I try new dinner recipes in hopes it may inspire others to try them out too. Tonight we had Mexican Pizza. You can find it at this link to Rachael Ray's Magazine. I put ground beef on Dave's half and Veggie ground beef on my half. I also used fresh salsa from Trader Joe's instead of jar taco sauce and I only had corn tortillas not flour. I thought it turned out really good! It was easy to do and the home-made refried beans are something I will use for other dishes. I'll start taking pictures too so you can see what mine looked like. I am always encouraged by other foodie blogs so hope you try some of these recipes too. Many of them will come from Rachael's mag because I got a subscription for Christmas and am really enjoying it! Happy eating I'm off to relax a little.

Inspired

2010-02-22T15:23:00.000-08:00

So I just got sem-inspired by my friend Joann. I just added the link to her blog under Hallums. She has 2 cutie boys and finds time to post... with pics... almost daily.... so thats my new challenge. Although I can tell ya'll right now if I'm posting daily there's not going to be pics in every post and they're still gonna be pretty short and sweet and filled with details of daily life with the kiddos.
Sam's been pretty cranky today so while Coop is napping I've been cleaning my kitchen with her in the baby carrier strapped to my stomach... or being the baby barnacle as my friend Leslie has so affecitionately named it. She finally fell asleep again which has allowed me some time to sit and check up on blogs. Today has just consisted of many short naps for her, which explains the cranky baby during the waking moments. I'm hoping now to get the rest of my time to read more of my Beth Moore study on Revelation. It's intense stuff and I'm thoroughly enjoying the challenge!

Choices

2010-02-21T19:50:00.001-08:00

So the other day Coop woke up from his nap and wanted to play with his car. It was time for him to eat some yogurt and he just couldn't choose between the car or the yogurt.... so how about both.

Scary movie

2010-02-21T19:46:00.000-08:00

Cooper loves the movie Cars right now, but there is a part in the movie where Lightning McQueen revs his engine to scare some "cows" and it startles him every time. So now minutes before the part even comes up I find him watching the movie from behind the ottoman. The anticipation is so much worse than the actual scene!

Rolling over

2010-02-21T19:43:00.001-08:00

So Samantha rolled over for the 1st time last Tues. I have video and will have to post it later but wanted to document this next stage of her development. She can roll from her tummy to her back and is getting close to rolling from her back to her tummy. She also giggles now when I tickle her tummy and neck. It's really quite cute and we're enjoying these baby stages once again!

Valentine's Day

2010-02-21T14:37:00.000-08:00

Here are the rest of the pics from our family day last Sunday. We went to church in the morning, came home and made heart shaped pancakes for brunch, took the kids to the park in the afternoon, and then finished our evening with cheese fondue and shrimp cocktail. It wasn't the typical "romantic" Valentine's Day, but it was certainly a day spent with the ones we love!

1st Slide

2010-02-14T21:13:00.000-08:00

We went to the park this evening and Cooper went down the slides all by himself for the 1st time. He was so excited and we were so proud!

Lebda Family Update

2010-02-11T22:31:00.000-08:00

So Cooper is really starting to put together phrases. Each day he adds several new words to his vocabulary. He loves playing at the gym day care and church day care. He says "bye bye mamma" until I leave. This makes it so much easier on me to get a little break. Sam's starting to talk too. She makes funny grunting noises and likes to click and push out her tongue. She is really starting to be aware of things. She can reach for toys and the last two days she is really working on rolling over. I think she is close. In the mornings she wakes up talking and happy til I go in and get her. She is also sleeping good through the night. It's still a tough stage of life for Dave and I as parents. Having two has really changed the dynamics of our days. We love them both and know that God is growing our character through this season. There are many nights when we lay in bed wishing for an island get away for the two of us... maybe our 10 year anniversary next year! :>)

Super Bowl Sugar Cookies

2010-02-09T20:35:00.000-08:00

I had Cooper help me make sugar cookies for a Super Bowl party we were going to. He loved helping me mix the dough and he liked licking the fork at the end even more. After I baked the footballs and helmets we frosted them and sprinkled some Colt colored sprinkles on them. He really just liked eating the finished product!

More kid pics

2010-01-19T21:27:00.000-08:00

So again we have so many pictures right now it's overwhelming to choose just a few to post here. I love that I can take the kids pictures and get a photo with their eyes open! Sam is smiling lots and starting to really babble. Just the last 2 days she is able to spend more time talking and entertaining herself. Cooper still loves to give her kisses and talk in a high pitch voice when he sees her. He's always concerned when she's not around or when she is crying. She seems to be getting more aware of him too. Coop seems to be adding a word a day to his vocabulary. He's starting to make more sense and speak in short sentences. We're still working on how he expresses his frustrations but he is a good boy with a sensitive heart. I'm feeling like the kids and I are finding our routine for the first time since Sam's arrival. I started back at the People's church Wed. morning women's Bible study. It's so great to be able to go again. I'm going with my long time friend Breanna who just moved back here from Oregon. It's been so fun to re-connect with her!

Samantha's 2 Month Appointment

2010-01-11T18:22:00.000-08:00

Last week I took Samantha to the Dr. for her 2 month appointment. She weighed 9lbs 9oz and was 22" long. The Dr. said everything looked good. She is growing good and I can't believe how big she has already gotten! She still seems to be having stomach problems, but has been sleeping pretty well at night. It's been fun dressing her in all her girlie outfits and Coop still adores her. As difficult as my days may seem some times I feel so blessed to be able to stay home with my kiddos and to watch them grow and change everyday!

Pismo and New Year's Eve!

2010-01-11T17:55:00.001-08:00

Robby and Jo were in town for Christmas so we drove over to Pismo for the day on New Year's Eve. It was such a beautiful day there, warm and sunny. Cooper loved splashing his feet in the water. He was so sad when we finally had to go eat lunch and he had to stop playing. Dave enjoyed trying out the new camera and he got some really good pics. Of course we had lunch at Splash and then walked along the pier. That night once we got back we shipped the kids off to my parents for the night and we went out to dinner with Robby and Jo and Nathan and Breanna at the Cheesecake Factory. Then we headed over to Nathan and Breanna's for games and dessert. It was really a fun New Year's Eve with old friends!

Kid Pics

2010-01-09T13:55:00.000-08:00

So Dave has been really excited about our new camera. It's the Nikon D5000. He's really embraced it and already knows so much more than me on how to adjust the settings to get the kind of pics he wants. These are some of the first pics he took of the kids. I'm so excited for us to be able to use our artistic sides to get into photography!

Christmas Morning

2010-01-09T13:45:00.000-08:00

So for some reason we didn't take very many pics of Christmas morning but here are a few highlights. Coop got a ride on quad, Dave got a Keurig coffee maker and I got an iPhone! We headed up to Bill and Michelle's for more fesivities and we opened a new Nikon camera from Ron and Terry! So since then we have been taking lots of pics trying to learn how to use our new camera. So many pics I am overwhelmed with what to post on the blog. We had a great Christmas. We didn't over load ourselves so it was fun and relaxing. Coop still didn't get the opening presents thing this year, but maybe next year he'll be excited. He has been really enjoying all his new toys though. As always we feel very blessed with all our gifts.

Lights!

2009-12-22T15:45:00.001-08:00

We took the kids for a walk through a near by neighborhood last Frid. night to see all the lights. We really bundled them up. It was quite the experience because this neighborhood has become so popular that it was bumper to bumper cars and lots of walkers. Just what we needed to get in the Holiday spirit.

Baby in the mirror

2009-12-22T15:41:00.000-08:00

I have a picture just like this of Coop staring at himself in the mirror.

Check it out here!