What I've Been Missing

I love having girls. I know the difficult days are ahead of me (i.e. three boy-crazed teenagers in one house) but I was so happy to JUST have girls. Maybe it's because I was completely content with having my family of girls that I was so blindsided by the arrival of Bing. I'm loving having a boy. Not just any boy, but my boy.

1. Low maintenance hair
2. Boy clothes (Thank goodness for some blue and green to break up the monotony of pink)
3. Finding the perfect pair of church shoes. Cute girls shoes are everywhere but it takes skill to search out a fine pair like this.
4. The fact that Brigham will eventually have to take him on potty breaks.
5. Sleeping 12 hours at night and taking at least 2 long naps every day. Now I know this is not specific to boys, but mine does and I'm grateful.
6. Having double ear infections and croup and never acted the part.

Boys Rule!!!

Tomato Basil Soup

Here's cooking adventure number two. I only had to call my mom for help twice as I endeavored to follow another soup recipe. The soup kick must be my vain attempt to cling to what little cool weather we have and hold off the scorching Arizona heat that will inevitably come. This recipe is from my mom. It's a result of replicating the tomato basil soup at Applebee's. We all agree my mom's is even better. I wrote this recipe down so that I could understand it. Remember my lack of even basic cooking skills? I hope it makes sense to everybody else.

Tomato Basil Soup

2 stalks celery
1 onion
olive oil
5 tbsp butter
4 cloves minced garlic
2 (28oz cans) whole tomatoes
4 cups tomato juice
1 (14oz can) chicken broth
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
12 basil leaves
1/3 cup flour
1 (12oz can) evaporated milk

Finely chop celery and onion. The finer the better. Sauté in Olive Oil and 1 tbsp butter. Add minced garlic when moister is half gone. Continue to sauté until all excess moister is evaporated. Purée the canned whole tomatoes and add to cooked vegetables. Add tomato juice, chicken broth, salt & pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and cook at a low simmer for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add chopped basil. In separate pan melt 4 tbsp butter then whisk in flour. Add butter, flour mixture to lightly boiling soup with whisk. Add evaporated milk.

Winning the Battle... I'm Sure I'll Lose the War

Ever since November, Avery has completely and utterly refused to let me do her hair. I was surprised by how hard it was for me to let go. You would think with two other kids' hairdos to whip up, (Bauer you don't count because of the obvious lack of hair) that I would look at this with relief. I most definitely didn't go down quietly. I used to fight with her every day but that only resulted in her weeping until I gave in. She would ask as I dropped her off at school, "Does it look like I've been crying?" So I changed tactics. I would only fight the fight on Sundays. That wasn't to much to ask for right? Evidently, it was. The days of my three girls walking into church with matching bows and every hair in its place were numbered. I found myself giving up, until yesterday. I'm not sure what made her break. I said jokingly, as I do every Sunday, "Avery, come in so I can do your hair." Then she appeared. She didn't even complain as I used the spiral curling iron. That wonderful device used to strike fear in her heart. All I can say is thank you, Avery. I know it probably won't happen again. It's not like I can do her hair until she is in the 5th grade or anything.