Easter Sunday - March 23rd

Easter Morning the Easter Bunny hid the kids baskets. They had a blast hunting for them.
Of course we looked forward to spending the rest of the morning at Scott's parents, G&G McKinnon's. We ate a delicious brunch, with G-ma Mack's yummy breakfast casserole (I will post the recipe later) and big homemade Belgian Waffles. YUM! Scott's sister Kim, her hubby R.C. and their daughter Ellie were also there. Kim is expecting their 2nd, and they just found out it is a girl!! So Fun!!!
Then the kids hunted for the treats and hard-boiled eggs that G&G hid in their backyard! It was so fun to watch the kids get so egg-cited about finding them!!! That is what makes holidays fun again - having your kids enjoy it!
Here are the grandkids with G&G Mack. Fun Fun grandparents!!!

Hana was our little teacher this year about why we have Easter and the resurrection of Christ. Over the weekend she shared little facts she learned in school and then as I was tucking her in Saturday night, her and I talked a little more about it. To backtrack, at Christmas her and I spent a long time looking at the huge pictures of Christ at the Temple Square visitors center - and she reminded me of that experience and the picture we saw of Jesus on the cross and of the cave with the big round rock. I love to share with her the knowledge I have about Christ, but it is more fun for me to hear what she knows and the questions she has.

Easter Saturday - March 22nd

We love Easter Saturday because of the Easter egg (candy) Hunt! This year Hana had to transition to the older group (5-8 year olds), so Dad helped her in that age group! Scott said that the older kids just smoked the younger ones. Dad held the basket while Hana picked up the candy.
And Mom stayed with Conrad in the 4 year-old and younger group. There was some pretty greedy parents in that section. But Conrad got a good amount of treats -- He loved picking it all up and then we walked around to look for a few left overs, which he loved finding. Here are the kids with their loot - mouth's already sweetened with a piece of candy.
Then we went to visit Scott's Grandparents, Grandpa Hank and Grandma Beth. The kids love their house and they are fun to visit. They gave the kids Easter outfits. Hana is already wearing her dress in the pic. G-ma Beth played catch with Conrad with a baloon. And the kids snacked on the treats and cookies G&G always have. Fun Fun!!
And last, but not least, we colored eggs that night. SOOO fun!!! The kids loved it this year! It was so fun this year having the kids be old enough to really get into the festivities and eager to do more!!!

Happy- Late St. Patrick's Day!!!

I absolutely LOVE St. Patrick's Day!!! I am not sure why, but it is such a fun holiday. I love whereing Green and pinching those who don't (not really, but its fun to pretend that I will). It was funny, I told Hana about the pinching thing, and all she did when Scott got home was pinch him until he put green on.

Hardly anyone remembers it. Maybe I, as well as the rest of my family, remember it and celebrate it because it is also my Fantastic brother Brad's birthday. He turned 27 this year!! Happy Birthday Bro.!!!
The kids and I had a fun time celebrating this great holiday by making Irish Brown Bread, or Irish Soda Bread. It was very fun for Hana to squish and stir with her hands.
It is very easy to make!!! Its also fun to make ANY time!!! It is healthy too!!!

Irish Brown Bread (Recipe):

2 1/4 C. whole wheat flour

2 1/4 C. all purpose flour (white)

1 1/2 C. rolled oats

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

2 1/2 C buttermilk (if you don't have buttermilk you can add 1 Tbl. of vinegar to each Cup of regular milk you need, stir and let it sit for a few minutes- I never have buttermilk so I always do this in recipes - thanks for that trick mom!!)

-- Preheat oven 400 degrees. Combine all the dry ingredients and mix. Then add 1 1/2 cups buttermilk and stir til blended pretty well. Then add the rest of the buttermilk and stir it up. (I let Hana pour in the most of the ingredients and stir it the whole time. Then at the end I mixed the last little bits to make it even)

It is very stick dough. You plop it and shape it in a ball (no bread pan needed) on a baking stone or pan. NO RISING NEEDED - yah hoo! Then using a big knife to score a deep X in the top, widening it with the sides of the blade as you cut.

Then bake it for about 45 - 50 minutes at 400 degrees. Check it at 40 min. When it is golden brown it is done.

It makes a crusty dense loaf - about 7 or 8 inches wide. Enjoy!

So easy! And as you can see Hana loved it. My whole family thought it was delish.

7 Layer Dip!!! Yuuuummm!!!

This is one of my favorite appetizers. First of all I love anything delicious that one can dip chips into. I also love Mexican food that has been Americanized! Authentic Mexican food is also very delicious! So I thought I would post this picture of this evenly spread dip on this chip I so endulgingly enjoyed after I took the picture. People everywhere know how to make delicious 7 layer dip (Although the kind with taco seasoning in the dip somewhere, in my opinion over powers the rest of the topping flavors and makes it too much to bare sometimes, yuck- not to say that I won't eat it though if it is there, :))

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However my favorite is the kind I grew up on - the kind my wonderful mama made so often.

Here is the ever so delicious recipe and instructions on how to make it just right - as I remember it how my mom taught me . . . with one or two adjustments.

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First have all your 7 layers purchased and ready to layer in the pan (cookie sheet for big groups, 13x9 for medium size groups, and 8x8 for your family of 2 to 5 people. - Some like to put tin foil in the bottom first for easy clean-up, yet I have experienced biting into a small chuck of tinfoil after dipping, so be careful when you dip.)

Listed in the order that they are layered in the pan first to last (bottom layer to top layer):

-Refried Beans (I like Vegetarian)

-Guacamole (my mom used to always smash her own avocados, which is delicious if you can find them at a good price. Otherwise I just buy a container of premade Guac.)

-Sour Cream (I buy the Fat Free "Daisy" brand - it tastes just as good)

-Shredded Cheese

-Tomatoes

-Olives

-Diced Green Onions

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Now a few tips:

Spread the Refried Beans, Guac, and Sour Cream pretty evenly the same - I have tasted some where the Refried Beans are too thick or one of the other ones and it doesn't taste as delicious or evenly flavored. My mom taught me to spread the Refried Beans pretty thin where you can still see some of the pan a little bit on a few parts, because you never have as much Guac or S.C. to even out the Beans if you spread them thick.

Then sprinkle the other toppings on. It ends of being so colorful and fabulous. Enjoy!