Monday, November 16, 2009

LENTIL SOUP

Today I made the most yummy lentil soup ever! I have never made this kind of soup before. It was so easy and tasted so yummy. Lentil's are packed with protein and I have been trying to increase my protein this year, for various reasons. You should make this some time.


LENTIL SOUP

2 tbsp olive oil
2 large onions, cubed (I didn't add onions, I don't like them)
1 tsp minced garlic
3 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
3 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 cups lentils-soaked, rinsed and drained
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
3/4 cup white wine
2 bay leaves
7 cups chicken broth
1 sprig fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1.) In a large stockpot, saute the onions in oil until they are glossy. Stir in garlic, paprika, celery, carrots, and saute for 10 minutes.

2.) Once the veggies have sauteed for 10 minutes stir in tomatoes, chicken broth, lentils, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Stir well, then add the wine and bring the mixture to a boil. Slowly reduce the heat and cook for 1 hour on low to medium heat or until the lentils are tender.

3.) Sprinkle the soup with parsley and parmesan (optional)

ENJOY!

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

TROJANS SOCCER

Trojan's Soccer
Charli's first official sports picture!

Trojan's soccer team: Coach Kristi, Michael, Charli, Gracie, Alli, Braden
Marcus, Aubrey, Martin

Soccer friends!
James (The Cheetah's)
Brian (The Panther's)
Charli (The Trojan's)

Charli, James, Gracie
This day Charli and James played eachother

Charli enjoyed a very yummy snow cone after a hot day of soccer!

SCARECROW DAY

My little scarecrow!

Mrs. Levin reading the class a story
Charli was picked to be the helper of the day
notice her sitting in the special chair
in front of the class

Taking pictures outside the classroom
in front of the art wall
with the class scarecrow

Chad took the day off to par-take in the special day.
helping Charli make a crow

Charli passing out the cookies and Halloween candy
that we put together for the class

Look at all those cute Scarecrows!

This was a super fun day in Kindergarten! All five Kindergarten classes participated in this day, and each class had special things going on in their classerooms. Charli's class had face painting (I got to paint faces!), make a crow craft, and games. The school plans a theme for each grade and Kindergarten takes the Scarecrow theme. This is how the school gets around letting kids wear their Halloween costumes to school. Chad took the day off work to par-take in the festivities and I think he had as much fun as the kids.

TJ FARMS

Juliette, Charli, Gracie, Hailey, Kiley
waiting patiently for the bus to arrive

Charli & Gracie's first bus ride, ever!
Kids where excited
Parents where nervous

Amy helping Charli grind the corn


Gracie's perfect pumpkin

Charli's perfect pumpkin

The Curious George Class

TJ Farms was a very fun filled day for The Curious George class. The Kindergartener's rode the bus to the pumpkin patch and then Amy, Owen and I met them there in my car. The kids got to grind corn, feed the farm animals, pick out the perfect pumpkin (Mrs. Levin told them, the perfect pumpkin is one that you can carry all by yourself) they also got to play in a hay maze. Charli had a great day until she noticed that her "perfect pumpkin got mud on her, and then it was all over as we know it. Mrs. Levin got to see Charli's dark side that day. Charli threw one of the biggest fits, even I was impressed. I pretty much ignored her and put on a happy face as she melted down. Eventually Charli recovered...in her own time...and we were able to enjoy the rest of our day. After TJ Farms, Amy, James, Owen, Charli and I went to lunch and also to the candy store for some very yummy gelato.

MATCHING OUTFIT DAY!

Charli and James in their adorable shirts that Amy made!
They really are the graduating class of 2022
Is that crazy or what!!!

I also made Mrs. M and Mrs. Levin matching shirts!

Mrs. M is the Clifford class
&
Mrs. Levin is the Curious George class
I also sewed their room numbers each shirt

I also sewed a linking monkey shirt for Mrs. Levin!
Both teachers loved their shirts
I was so excited to make these two amazing teachers shirts!

Oct 2nd was Matching Outfit day at school! Amy and I knew exactly what Charli and James would wear on this day! Over the summer Amy sewed matching shirts for Charli, James and Renton. The three kids who would be going into Kindergarten in Aug. We got so many responses from parents and teachers when Charli and James wore their shirts this day. 2022 seems so far away, it is crazy! I also wanted Mrs. Levin (Charli's teacher) and Mrs. M (another Kindergarten teacher) to have matching shirts. They both loved their matching shirts.

OBSTACLE COURSE DAY!

Charli and Drake
jumping into the huge
bounce house obstacle course

The humongous basketball hoop!
The balls where almost bigger than Charli

Another obstacle course!

Charli running back from the obstacle course
Go Charli Go!
The 4 way tug-o-war!
This was the coolest tug-o-war I have ever seen
The kids loved it!

Charli's whole school was treated to an Obstacle Course Day, hosted by the high school students!
The kids loved all the events set up but I think they loved the 4 way tug-o-war the best!

GEORGE...ART...SKILL-A-THON

Charli was picked to take the
Curious George backpack home
along with all his treasures!
(She is in the Curious George class, if you couldn't tell)

1.) Curious George and I took a nap together
2.) Me and George watched Buddy (Elf)
3.) Curious George and I watched the Giants with my Daddy.
Go Giants!

Mrs. Levin posts the class art work outside the class room
Charli is standing directly under her masterpiece!

Big Buddy day!
Amy's 6th graders from Evergreen 6, are the Kindergarten's buddies this year!
Charli and her buddy Lexi
working on the Skill-A-Thon

DISNEYLAND!

Here we are in front of California Park
waiting to start our adventure!

Princess Charli had royal makeup applied
before she met the princesses
Doesn't she look beautiful!

Charli lucked out
she got to meet 4 Princesses
Cinderella had to take a tea break
so Aurora elegantly stepped in

We toured Mickey Mouses house
and got to meet him
he was waiting in the back
They announced to Mickey that he had
royalty coming to meet him
and he bowed down to Charli when she entered the room
SO CUTE!

Disneyland was all decorated for Halloween
when we visited
they had a huge candy corn display.
Charli also found the cutest little house to play in
I think she would have played in that all day if I let her
she also posed with a Lego Darth Vader and Mater and Lightening MacQueen!

Charli also hitched a ride when ever she could
Daddy and Uncle Dave were always willing to pick her up!

Here we are waiting to see the Bugs Life show
It was called "It's tough to be a bug"
We had to walk out of the show
Charli was hysterical
it was a very 3-D show and too scary for her!

Overall we had a wonderful trip and can't wait to go back. We are thinking when Charli is 7 yrs. So in two years! We also learned that you can't tackle Disneyland and CA Park in just one day. So next time I hope to go for two days. One day at Disneyland and another at CA Park.

Uncle Dave, Aunt Sherri and Aunt Marie all made this wonderful trip possible for us and we are so thankful for that! We flew down to Corona and stayed with Dave and Sherri on Thurs Sept 24th, went to Disneyland on Friday, Chad and Dave golfed on Sat while Sherri, Charli and I played at a local park and then flew home on Sunday. It was a whirlwind of a weekend but so much fun!