Friday

Another Friday is blowing by. Where DOES the time go? I'm off to Bingo tonight at Tracy's and I'm hoping to win the pot because, hey, I deserve it. We're all bringing a little something for a gift swap so that should be fun. My boys will be here at the house doing who knows what. Ben went to his friend Jaxon's birthday party today so he's pretty hopped up on sugar right now.

Ok, so I saw this video on YouTube and I'm sure some of you have seen it but it just cracks me up!

Did you say Satay?

So I tried a new recipe and it was a hit. We had grilled Chicken Satay a couple of nights ago and WOW, we all loved it! Ben ate three skewers of chicken and he rarely eats three of anything so we considered it a success. I enjoy trying new recipes and sharing them too.

I should have taken a picture when the plate was full but you have to watch yourself when you're feeding hungry boys!

I looked up several recipes for this dish but couldn't find one that I liked so I have combined several and modified them to fit our taste.

Chicken Satay with Peanut dipping Sauce:

1 to 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs (I used thighs)

1 bottle - Kraft Asian Toasted Sesame dressing/marinade

Chopped green onions (optional)

Chopped cilantro(optional)

Wooden skewers that have been soaked in water for at least 20 minutes.

Cut chicken breasts or thighs into strips and place in large plastic bag. Pour marinade into bag with chicken and marinate in the refridgerator 3 to 5 hours. Reserve 1/2 a cup of the marinade. Thread chicken strips onto skewers. Grill skewers over medium heat approximately 8 to 10 minutes on each side, brushing occasionally with reserved marinade. Garnish with chopped cilantro and green onions.

Peanut Dipping Sauce:

1/2 C peanut butter

1 TBS brown sugar

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 TBS soy sauce

1/4 C rice wine vinegar

red chile flakes ( to taste )

Combine all ingredients and blend well. Serve with chicken skewers.

I served the Satay with yellow Saffron rice and green beans. If you decide to try it, be sure to let me know how it turns out!

Easter Schtuff

We had a great time celebrating Easter 2008. The Easter Bunny was really good to Ben. We've had several discussions about E. Bunny and what he looks like, talks like, etc. Good stuff. Ben's got quite the imagination.

We had Easter dinner and the Egg Hunt at Grandma & Grandpa Judd's house, complete with the traditional Bunny cake.

Ben hunted eggs like he was looking for diamonds. I've never seen such determination on his face.

My Boys

Ummm hello? Can I get a ball here people?

All in all, we had a wonderful day. It was great to see cousins, aunts and uncles, and grandparents. We're so grateful for our family and for the Resurrection of our Loving Savior.

Easter Eggs

We colored Easter eggs last night and I am proud to say that not a drop of dye hit the floor. Ben really had a great time. He was trying to be so careful not to crack any eggs but we ended up with about three casualties.
I can't wait for him to see his Easter basket in the morning. We're visiting Grandma & Grandpa Judd all day tomorrow so he'll hunt for eggs at their home. He's pretty darn excited!

Equinox & Silly Socks

Here is a photo I took on March 20th. The 20th is one of four days in 2008 that is part of the Equinox. I'll let Wikipedia explain it for you.

In astronomy, equinox can have two meanings:

The event that the Sun is positioned directly over the Earth's equator and, by extension, the apparent position of the Sun at that moment, or the time that it happens.

The time at which the vernal point, celestial equator, and other such elements are taken to be used in the definition of a celestial coordinate system—see Equinox (celestial coordinates)

So, anyhoo, I've heard that on these days, you should be able to stand an egg on it's end. Guess what? I did it on my second try! This is not trick photography and no I did not glue it to my countertop.

In other news, Benjamin has decided to wear socks with his flip flops. This is not necessarily newsworthy, just a HUGE pet peeve of mine! It freaks me out because I know how it feels. Me no likey. Unattractive as well as uncomfortable. Oh, and I'm pretty sure he inherited this from my sister, Janelle. She also wears socks with flip flops. Ugggh.

Bring on the Spring

The weather has been GORGEOUS! Sean assembled a new playset for Ben last Saturday and I don't know who loves it more. :) Ben has been playing nonstop and asks to have his snacks outside at his picnic bench.

Before:

After:

What a great Dad! He worked from sunrise to sunset and was never frustrated. Not once! Who are you and what have you done with my husband? We'll be laying sod and pavers soon and I'll be so happy when the dirt isn't being tracked in every 5 minutes!

We're really looking forward to Easter Sunday and will be spending it with my family in St. David. Ben will be dying some eggs tonight to contribute to the great hunt. I love watching the youngest of my nieces and nephews hunt for eggs. I'll expect some serious "chucking" from Allison, Sammy, and Owen! My sister, Cindy, is due to have her baby any minute now. I think it would be fabulous to have an Easter baby!

If I don't post again before Sunday, HAPPY EASTER TO ALL!

Speak With Conviction

Amen.