Good-Bye 2008!

If you got our Christmas letter, you probably already know all the highlights this year has had for us, as a family. In case our letter did not make it out to you, here are our family's highlights of 2008!

January

• Arinda is on maternity leave with Baby Nattaya.
• Tim turns 27! (Gettin' close to 30!)

February

• Arinda goes back to work (boo!).
  
• Arinda turns 25 ( a 1/4 of a century, yikes!).
• We celebrated our 2nd Valentines Day as a married couple.

March

• Off track time with Natty.
• Our first big outting as a family - Aquarium of the Pacific!

April

• Back to work for Arinda.
• Arinda's aunt from Thailand comes to visit and meets Natty for the first time!
  

May

• Arinda completes all her BTSA training! Yeah!

June

• Arinda completes her 2nd year of full time teaching.
• Proud to see her group of 8th graders graduated onto High School.

July

• Off track time!

August

• Teaching year 3 beings, and so does Arinda's Level II credentials.
• Tim begins the last stretch for his Masters.
• Tim's been at Office Max for a year! Woo Hoo for a raise!
• Lauren turns 1 and Curtis turns 3! Natty goes to a birthday party!
  

September

• We celebrate our 2nd anniversary - Yummy "On the Border!"

October

• Arinda made Natty's costume - by herself!
• Arinda got a root canal - on Halloween. Bah!

November

• We found out the Lord is blessing us with Baby #2!
• Natty turns one!
• Arinda finishes 4/5 classes.
• Tim's done with classwork for his Masters! (Woo! Hoo!)

December

• Arinda's done with school for her Level II credential.
• Arinda is 13 weeks along.
• Natty likes candy canes.
  

Homemade Butter Sauce

My stomach has been really senstive to tomato sauce lately. I guess the baby just doesn't like it. Well, I wanted something easy and quick to make for dinner tonight (since I'm exhausted and Tim gets off at 6). I ALWAYS have all the ingreadients for pasta. However, tomato sauce just did not sound that appetizing to me. I googled (is that a word now?) for simple butter pasta sauces and found this one that I adapted. This recipe will make enough sauce for a 4-6 serving of pasta and some leftover for garlic bread spread if you feel so inclined. :)

Ingredients:

1 1/3 c. of butter (margarine will do - that's what I used)
4 cloves of garlic (minced, or use a garlic press)
2 tbs. oregano
3 tbs. dried basil

Directions:

• Melt butter on medium low in a saucepan.
• Add garlic and cook on medium for 5 minutes.
• Reduce heat to low and add oregano and basil. Stir.
• Keep on lowest heat until ready to serve.

It tastes great on pasta. You can also use it as a spread for garlic bread. I mixed my bow-tie pasta with the sauce and served some broiled tilapia and shrimp on the side. Very Yummy!

Merry Christmas!

This week has really been B-U-S-Y!!!  Despite the way our economy has been, our family has been very blessed to be able to be with friends and family for Christmas.  For Christmas Eve Ever, we got to hang out with some very cool people, The Marleys.  We learned to play this AWESOME game called Jamaica.  Check out it, it's awesome.

For Christmas Eve, we went to service at Harvest, and I was so blessed by it.  Totally different from services the years before, but it was AWESOME!  Then we ventured out to Orange County to spend the evening with Tim's extended family.  Natty seemed to really enjoy herself.  She has several cousins around her age now.  She has really started to become more social and interact with other kids.  She is now in toddlers at chruch, and she is having a blast.  It does help that her uncle does the puppet show. :-P

For Christmas Day, we went to Tim's parents' in the morning, and spent the rest of the day with my family.  Natty sure made out like a bandit.  She was really more interested in the ribbons and bows than the actual gifts.  Tim got a bunch of books and movies, shirt, cologne, and gift to Barnes and Noble (lucky!).  I got a chain (to wear my wedding rings on when my hands get too swollen later on in my pregnancy - I had this problem with Natty, but I didn't noticed until it was too late and I couldn't get my rings off), 2 books I have been wanted to read (Inkdeath and Diary of a Wimpy Kid), 1st season of According to Jim (story of my life - kinda - Tim's a lot nice than Jim), scrapbook set (from my parents), new cookie sheets (with cookie cookbook), bath stuff, a tea cup & teas (Chrissy), Sean got Tim and I a giftcard to Olive Garden (score!) & chocolates, and I got the book Phantom of the Opera.  Here's the best part....

Inside the book are..................

TWO TICKETS TO GO SEE IT!!!!!!!!!!!

Of course I have to wait until Feb. 10th, but hey, I'll  hopefully have the book done by it.  It's really good!  I'll post pictures later on of our various visits.  Hope your Christmas was as blessed as ours!!!

New Haircut

Well, this is the new haircut.  Still getting used to it, but I really like it.  I had a total blast getting it done.  I love being mommy, but it was nice to get out and be pampered for a little bit. 

In other news, I'm just about 12 weeks along.  Morning sickness (all-day sickness) is taking its time trailing off.  It is getting better bit by bit.  We are super excited, and Natty seems to be falling in love with the baby more and more everyday.

Christmas this year has been especially fun.  Natty really likes the tree we put up and the ornaments.  Surprisingly, we've put all our presents under the tree and she hasn't even bothered them at all.  She is such a good girl.  Everyday we are more and more proud of her.

Well, as Christmas is closing in, don't forget why we're really celebrating.  The birth and life of Jesus Christ.  Don't get boggled down with the shopping and parking and money and troubles.  Have a very Merry Christmas!

Soup Recipe

The recent chilly weather has really put me in a soup mood.  I created this soup tonight, and must say, turned out pretty good!  Good enough to satisfy my "pregnant" appetite and tummy.

I call it....

Potato-Tomato soup with Chicken  (Time:  Approx. 30 mins.)

Ingredients:

• 1 can of Cream of Potato soup (condensed)
• 1 can of Cream of Tomato soup (condensed)
• 1 can of water
• 1 can of whole-milk
• 3 Chicken Tenderloins (Thawed and cubed)
• 1 Package of Mrs. Grass Garden Vegatable soup/dip mix
• 1 Package of Uncle Ben's Cheesy Rice (microwaved for 1 min)

Directions:

• On medium heat combine potato soup, tomato soup, milk, and water.
• Once soup begins to bubble, reduce to medium low and combine chicken.
• Cook on medium low until chicken is cooked.
• Combine soup/dip mix and rice.  Stir and cook on low until ingredients are combined.  (My daughter loves noodles so I actually added 2 handfuls of whole wheat fusilli.)

This soup cooks up pretty thick (which is my favorite).  Add a can of water if soup is too thick to your liking.  This recipe serves about 4 good, hearty servings.  Garnish with a little parsley (optional).  Goes great with breadsticks or a couple slices of french bread.

God Still Performs Miracles

You heard me!  God is still definitely in the business of performing miracles.  I am just under 10 weeks along now.  We had a little scare over the weekend, but God is good.  I think one of the hardest things I've found about being a "mom" is that now matter how hard I try to strive to be that mom that I think my children deserve, I am not in control.  That fact scares me to pieces.  I have a wonderful husband who is my constant reminder that God is stronger than anyone or anything.  He is capable; and He is the great Physician.  I don't like not being in the control of things, but it is better than I have a God who knows what's going on and will not make a mess of things (as would be the case if I was in charge).  Anyhow, it was an eventful and tiring weekend.

I was in dire need of some much needed rest.  I took the day off work today.  I was bummed I used one of my sick days, but it was needed.  We saw Dr. today, and we were so blessed to see the Baby's flickering heartbeat.  I never tire of seeing that picture.  I am desperately waiting until the baby is big enough to feel movements.  In the meantime, here is a picture of our "little" great miracle.