we all thought they were a vegetable {meatball sandwiches recipe}

when i just couldn't stand it anymore,

i had to get up on my counter,

and then prop the worst side up.

works like a charm.

every time.

oprah calls it multi-tasking.

so the spaghetti sauce doesn't splatter,

while the meatballs cook.

also,

i apparently wear my purple striped sweater a lot.

no apologies.

it's super comfy.

these were great too.

sean and i agreed,

that the sauce counted for our vegetable this night,

because even though we know tomatoes are a fruit now,

we all thought they were a vegetable until we were at least 10.

maybe 12.

whichever.

meatball sandwiches

INGREDIENTS:

tray of frozen meatballs from costco

trader joe's NOT chunky marinara sauce in jar

sandwich buns {i bought cheap, soft ones from winco--AMAZING}

shredded mozarella cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. cook your tray of frozen meatballs as directed on bag, 

while warming your jar of sauce on the stove.

2. when meatballs are done, throw 'em in the sauce and stir until it all feels like it's as hot as you want.

3. spoon 4-5 meatballs onto a bun {make sure your buns are still "together" on one side so the sauce and meatballs don't fall out the other side.}, add extra sauce until your buns are filled up.

4. put on foil covered cookie sheet, 

and continue until all your buns are lined up in a row.

5. cover them up a TON with your shredded mozzarella.

6. bake at 400* for 5-10 minutes, 

or until cheese is all melty and nice:) 

in honor of high school nostalgia,

i had to have a root beer with it. 

to paige and jackie--3 words: subway, 3am, hawaii.

brennan was asking when we could have them again after his first bite.

SOLD:)

we spent the rest of the night watching chase drag sean around 

by the hand 

with a bucket over his head.

chase, not sean.

he likes to put it on, and run into the walls over and over again,

laughing hysterically, even when it knocks him down.

except i think he mostly just likes that we are all laughing at him.

because it's hilarious.

there might not be anything funnier than a baby man walking around

with a bucket over his entire head,

running into walls.

laughing.

belly laughing.

not to worry,

responsible parents such as us 

always have the stairs and landings well monitored.

phew.

don't try this at home folks.

don't

try

this

at

home.

unless you're responsible about stairs and stuff like us.

is the 3rd child always the comedian?

sean's mom says he was too.

that's why i'm asking.

sean was dragging max around on his leg.

and brennan was the one being chased.

just another thursday night at the gibson home.

two tuesday nights ago.

one of my 

top 10 favorite moments 

of motherhood.

right here.

while i was waiting for the dinner oven to ding.

can't remember the song that was on.

chase, the ballroom master.

i just remember the look on his face and the sound of his laugh,

spinning round and round between the oven and the kitchen counter. 

two tuesday nights ago.

and parks and stuff too.

it's the january thaw ya'll.

where most utahans don't wear coats.

and your kids get to see the light of day again.

and parks and stuff too. 

ok some people wear their coats.

but not if they're going from their car to the store.

not worth carrying your coat around inside.

melted snow=motes around the sand diggers. 

chase had to get new clothes on when we got home. totally worth it.

then we all collapsed and sat under blankets for the rest of the night.

until i made homemade clam chowder.

which all 3 of my kids hated.

sean and i ate ours.

and tried every bribe under the book to get them to eat theirs.

and then when brennan started dry heaving

we knew we were sunk.

so sean started passing out buttered toast and jam.

no dessert served.

pity.

chase liked the bacon.

he kept getting up on his stool and stealing handfuls of it.

can't blame him.

who doesn't love bacon?

no one.

{if you have ever seen my kindergarten picture,

the one with the different colored hand prints as the background,

you  would know that chase is my TWIN. right down to this very face.

i will dig it out for you sometime and you will be like "oh my GOOOOSH, they are twins."

i swear. i was laughing so hard about it that most of my pictures were blurry.

we are kin. and i love it.}

...

so feeding my kids i did not like tonight,

except i really loved making what my kids did not like tonight. 

especially because my kids played toys at the table together the entire time.

with no fighting.

no whining.

and no crying.

just chatting,

pretending,

and everything in between.

and we all know how miraculous this feat is when dinner time 

always falls at the same bewitching hours of every day.

so i sat there frying bacon

and chopping my idaho potatoes,

and it was heaven.

that is

until they all started crying after they took their first bite of my homemade chowda.

that was not so nice.

devastating really.

in a nondramatic way.

except sean and i mostly laughed about it.

b/c you could tell they truly despised it.

hated it.

want to barf it.

and it was just funny.

so we ate our chowda and stifled laughs,

looking at each other doing the shoulder shrugging laughs

between bribes of course.

and like i said,

none of which worked.

but let's just remember this:

bet you can't guess who's at the top of that tower;)

mugs

my dishwasher is mostly 

full of mugs right now.

:):):)

{he's 5 in his own head.}

letters to Beth {while we were skyping & oven baked tacos recipe}

dear beth,

while we were skyping...

after we got off the phone,

i finally had to put my foot down about playing swimming pool in the sink.

it was a good long run.

many memories made.

the princesses and super heroes 

may never forgive me.

or they'll move to san diego.

whichever.

i did need my floors mopped.

this definitely counted.

especially b/c they had mixed two different blends of foaming soap with their escapades.

"where the wild things are"

that's what my house should be nicknamed.

there, it's official.

the toilet paper 

was a total loss.

but i didn't have time to replace it 

so i left it there wet,

and max used it,

except have you ever tried 

to use wet toilet paper?

max hasn't.

it was clear, hahahaha.

and it was quite the site 

when she was done with it.

also,

they did this.

i guess we were chatting for awhile...

can't blame them,

plus they weren't fighting,

so that's always a bonus.

"tattoo brennan"

that's what he called himself 

for the rest of the day.

not to worry,

two baths haven't even lessened them a bit.

and seeing as we barely bathe over here anyway,

those beauties could be there until summer.

so proud:)

what i'm really proud about is this: 

brennan reads.

i could listen to him all day.

when he started school this year in september he knew 1 letter name and 1 letter sound.

B.

i couldn't be happier,

not even if you finished my basement.

love,

emily

P.S.

i love your goals.

sean and i always do an 

FHE GOALS night in january,

you know,

where we list off all of our goals to accomplish throughout the year.

except really,

we just did it two years ago,

and we keep changing the year,

but working on the same goals.

we've crossed off 6 out of 14.

in 3 years:)

accomplishers over here.

wow.

we are doing great!

... 

P.S.S.

make these, they are great.

OVEN BAKED TACOS

INGREDIENTS:

1lb ground beef

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can corn, drained and rinsed

1 onion, chopped

1 pkg taco seasoning

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup chunky salsa

3/4 cup sour cream

12 hard shell tacos

2 cups shredded colby jack cheese

DIRECTIONS: 

1. cook your gound beef with onion and garlic.

2. add taco seasoning, mix well.

3. remove from heat and add salsa, beans, corn, and sour cream 

{i added the sour cream here b/c my brennan and chase are whimps in the heat department, and i just love things that are creamy}.

4. spoon mixture evenly into hard shells in 9x13 glass pan so they can stand up in the pan.

5. cover with cheese.

6. bake 400* for 8-10 minutes.

...

reasons why i love these tacos:

my kids can eat tacos without everyone crying the entire time.

amazing:)

oh yeah

and 

they're 

just 

really really 

good.

letters to Emily {resolutions, butterfly bandaids/baby jesus, & madly in love}

Dearest Emily,

          Wow!  How hard that must have been!  I am so in awe by us mothers and our situations.  Being a mother brings out all the mother-bear instincts that we never possessed until we pass a child through our bodies into this good world.  I love that you held him and cried with him.  Mourn with those that mourn.  Talking to you on skype the other day really made me appreciate you even more.  You are working so hard with Brennan, it's not easy for you.  But you are doing it, for Brennan.  I have to remember that the hard things with kids at the moment might feel like you aren't getting anywhere, but watching Brennan graduate with honors because of all the hard work you put into his education will pay off.  It's just a short time then BOOM, they are off.  You are such a tiger-mom, in a relaxed fun way......

          As for me and my house we are enjoying the latter end of January, which normally hails it's self in my world as the worst month of the year.  This year, I am trying to make the most out of the longest darkest month, as a positive start to the new year.  So I started some resolutions.

Some people don't believe in resolutions, but why not?  I mean, they are just goals, right?

So, let's have some fun with them.

Resolution #1- Play with kids more

Resolution #2- Be healthier (so relative)

Resolution #3- Be more patient

Resolution #4-finish Children's book and Start               new one.

Those are a few for 2014, I know....pretty boring.  But the more you share your goals with others, the better you are at them.  

Here are a few fun Holiday happenings at the Taylor Bungalow:

         Bear hit his head so bad in a german restaurant while we were dining with some friends, that he split open his brow, blood dripping into his little eye!  Luckily no stitches were needed, but it was pretty traumatizing for the little lad. Nothing like a dresser landing on top of him.  A butterfly bandaid and lot's of mommy kisses later, he was as good as new.  

         Smith was the starring roll as Jesus in his play.  Very emotional for me, there was such a warm feeling of love in the room.  Mary, Jesus and Joseph were all played by children in wheel chairs.  I never thought that having a Smith would change me this much. But I am a CHANGED woman because of him.  I am so grateful for his heavenly spirit in my life.

         Bryce is back to full time studying and it's back to me and my daily routine with Bear.  Smith goes to school, then it's me and Bear time.  Which usually consists of me dragging him along doing errands (by foot) and then going to the park or feeding ducks.  Both are his thrills of the day. Smith still enjoys playing with his Beads. Bryce and I still can't get enough of each other. I guess you can say we are crazy about each other.

         There it is Miss Emiline Harris!

All the Love from Deutchland,

Beth :)

Peanut Butter Oreo Icebox Cake {it's gonna make your Monday fantastic}

Peanut Butter Oreo Icebox Cake

{a.k.a. Amazing Cake}

INGREDIENTS:

1 package cream cheese {8oz}, softened

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup powdered sugar

2 cups milk {i used whole}

chocolate syrup {for drizzle}

2 packages double stuffed Oreos

1 container Cool Whip {8oz}

DIRECTIONS:

1. cream together cream cheese, peanut butter, 

and 1/4 cup of the milk.

2. add powdered sugar and blend until smooth.

3. add cool whip just until mixed 

{i did this with my spatula by hand}, set aside.

4. pour remaining milk into bowl and dunk oreos for 2-3 seconds each so they are wet, but not falling apart.

5. layer one layer of wet oreos on bottom of glass dish 

{my 8x8 glass pyrex worked for a PERFECT fit},

then do a layer of 1/2 of the peanut butter cool whip mixture,

then another wet oreo layer on top of that,

and a final layer of the last half 

of the peanut butter cool whip mixture.

6. put toothpicks in the top of the cake {i used 4}, 

so you can cover it with saran wrap, 

and not have the wrap touching the top of the cake.

7. refrigerate for 4 hours, or make the night before.

8. serve with chocolate sauce drizzle and a glass of milk. 

HOLY

MOLY

you're gonna diiiiiiieeeeeee!!!!

:):):)

make it tonight.

i just KNOW you're monday is gonna be FANTASTIC now:)

the skinny red one sprayed snow in your face.

after kindergarten got out yesterday:

16 gloves,

8 coats,

8 hats,

8 snow pants,

16 boots,

6 sleds,

and a partridge and a pear tree.

my favorite sled is the penguin,

but you're not supposed to be over 60lbs to ride on it,

which i remembered about halfway down the mountain with chase on my lap,

so i clenched up my body really stiff like

for the rest of the way down,

hoping that would make me feel like 60lbs to the sled.

it didn't pop,

so it must have worked:)

and it was the smoothest ride my bum felt all day long.

i so badly wanted to tempt fate and do it all over again,

but i couldn't bear to face it popping again like last year,

and being left with no penguin for anyone to ride,

so chase and i tried out every other sled there.

the blue one made you spin round and round like the tea pots,

and worry that you were going to tip over and bonk your head.

the shark one wasn't really a shark,

but it kind of looked like a shark,

because the writing on it looked sharky to me.

the green one went the furthest,

especially with two kids on your lap.

and skinny red one always sprayed snow in your face because your boots fell off the sides all the way down.

chase said "WHEEEE" every time.

even the time when we went down on the skinny red one,

and my boots and his boots sprayed snow in our faces.

nobody whined.

nobody got hungry.

nobody cried.

nobody had to go pee.

or poo.

it was warm.

it was cloudy.

there was no wind.

and everybody ran up the hills with their own sleds,

with smiles on their faces

for

2

hours

straight.

CHRISTMAS MIRACLE

in january.

even with the christmas tree gone from our big room.

who knew it could be?

i have never had so much fun with my kids in my entire life.

and max woke up this morning asking what time we were going sledding again today:)

zippidy doo dah, zippidee ay,

my oh my,

what a wonderful wonderful day.