Randoms and a recipe

I cannot believe this is the last day of January! Man this month flew by! I have been a terrible blogger lately. Every time I sit down to write a post, I either go blank or get sidetracked. So this post will be pretty random. 

Colton took his first baseball to the mouth last week. He got a new glove for his birthday so he was playing catch with Cody in the yard. Next thing I knew, he was headed in with his hands covering his bleeding mouth. Both his top and bottom lip were cut and swelling fast. He has such a high pain tolerance and is such a tough guy. He barely shed a tear. I was worried that he would be nervous about the next game of catch but he said that he must have been in a daze so the ball hit him.=) After about 20 minutes of ice, he was out there again playing ball. Love my tough boy and the fact that he got right back out there!

This was the next morning and it didn't look quite as bad as I thought it would.
Thank goodness!

I got a speeding ticket last week. =( It has been a while since that happened. There was no talking my way out of it, I was going 82 in a 70. OOPS! So today I paid the hefty court fee and next I will do the dreaded defensive driving course. Luckily I can do it online but it is just no fun. All in all, a terrible way to waste money and time. The upside, I have slowed down. 

 We are completely diaper free in this house! Carter has been potty trained since June but he did sleep in diapers. I had noticed for about a month that he would wake up dry or get up early to go potty but I kept putting diapers on as a precaution. He finally told me he didn't want to wear them anymore. =) Such a big boy! Is it weird that this makes me a little sad? I think it is just the fact that it is another milestone that makes me realize how fast time is going. 

It's empty=(
=)

Okay, now for a yummy recipe. These chicken tenders are so good. My boys even compared them to Chick-fil-a. That's a big stretch but they are delicious. 

4-6 chicken breasts cut into strips

1 stick of butter

1 cup Pepperidge Farm Herb Stuffing

1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese( I use only 1 cup but I am not a fan of Parmesan)

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp garlic salt

Mix dry ingredients together and melt butter in a separate bowl. 

Roll each chicken strip in butter and then in dry ingredients. Place on a large, foil lined cookie sheet. 

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes covered, 15 minutes uncovered. (maybe less depending on how thick the strips are)

Enjoy! 

Thanks for letting me be random! 

A Great getaway

We had a wonderful weekend at Great Wolf Lodge. The boys were so excited and once we finally made it there(the trip took extra time because of bad traffic), the fun began.  

We spent Friday afternoon/evening getting new wands for MagiQuest and doing some of the dry activities around the hotel.

We ate in the hotel and made it to the story time that evening. Once we got back in the room, we paid too much to pay per view Wreck It Ralph. =)We saw it in the theaters and loved it so the boys were happy to watch it in their little cabin area.

Saturday morning we woke up and headed to the breakfast buffet. There was a wait and we heard there was space in the character breakfast so we did that instead. It was most exciting for Carter because he loves the characters but we all enjoyed it.

With Wiley the Wolf  and  Violet the Wolf

With Oliver the Raccoon

Oliver motioned to see Carter's Pooh Bear, Carter was willing. 

Then he got worried. He didn't cry but did hide his eyes. =)

Then we hit the water park.

We had so much fun! There is something for everyone and we did it all. Colton was eager and ready to hit the big water slides so him and Cody did that right away. Carter, Cooper and I played in the play scape area, lazy river and the toddler zone(Cooper was a good sport and went with Carter). Then we met up at the wave pool.

 After that we went to our rooms for lunch and a little nap. Once we were up, we headed back to the water. I did some of the big slides with Colton. So.much. fun! We relaxed and ate junk food dinner by the pool. Then we changed into our jammies and hit the Arcade. Everyone walks around in their pj's in the evenings--my kind of place.=)

On Sunday morning, we spent a little more time at the water park and then made a stop of the gift shop before we headed home. Once again, we love this place! My birthday boy was happy that he chose to go there instead of having a big party. Now Cooper wants to go there for his birthday. I tried to explain that time was  because Colton was in the double digits but we'll see.=)

We did have one big downer on our getaway. My poor dad barely slept Friday night. Something came on quick and he felt horrible. He went to the nearest clinic and found out that he had pneumonia pretty bad. They almost hospitalized him. The gave my mom strict orders to make him rest and for her to watch him closely. Luckily, he woke up a little better Sunday and is improving little by little since we got home. I was so sad for them. They were so excited to share in the fun of the weekend and basically they drove 6 hours just to sleep in a fun hotel.=(  I did get them to pose for this picture as we were leaving for proof that they were there. ;) Love them so! 

Just a little note for anyone planning to go:
The Lazer Frenzy was a joke. It was small and short, over and under game that cost $3 per person for about 30 seconds. We were disappointed because we were expecting more of a Lazer tag or a real maze. 

Colton's birthday day

We started Colton's actual birthday with our traditional pancake breakfast.

Then he opened a few gifts before he headed to school. 

Then I brought him lunch and a Krispy Kreme Doughnut cake to share with his classmates. 

We have been wanting to get Colton a desk for his room so my parents, in laws and Cody and I went in together to get him a nice one. He came home from school and it was set up. He was pretty excited. 

That evening our immediate families(13 adults and 10 cousins) came over for pizza and cupcakes. The kids had so much fun! I think the birthday boy had a great day and I think I got what I wanted...for my big 10 year old to feel special and loved! 

Landon, Colton and Graham--Cousins but also Best friends!

We gave Colton a choice. He could have a big party for his school friends somewhere around town(the weather is so iffy so we usually go somewhere with indoor fun) or we could go on a weekend getaway to celebrate the double digits. He chose the weekend getaway. So tomorrow, once he and Cooper are counted present at school, we will head to Great Wolf Lodge. He loves that place and he is so excited. We all are!  

Happy Birthday Colton!

 Warning! Lots of bragging on my boy in this post...

My first baby turns 10 today!! I can hardly believe it. Double digits! That is big!

I can't say enough about my Colton. He is such an amazing son!

He works so hard in 4th grade. So far this year he has made all As and one B. He is so sweet and loving to me. I love that he is still happy to give me big hugs and kisses no mater where we are. Lately, he is so eager to help Cody and get to do some jobs that he couldn't help with before(like hanging outside Christmas lights). He is like a second Daddy to Carter-always worrying about him, consoling him, loving on him, encouraging him and sometimes correcting him. =) Their bond is super strong. With Cooper he definitely  plays the older brother role. He gets irritated and they argue but he will defend and protect him to anyone. They are arguing one minute and best friends the next. Colton's conscience still works overtime and he worries about everything. But his faith in God runs deep and it is not uncommon to catch him praying in the most random times. He is still a fearless thrill seeker and loves the adrenaline rush that comes with a new challenge. He is a leader and a really good friend to have. I love that he talks to Cody and I about everything and I hope he will always come to us with the big and small things. He is so witty and funny, smart and kind. He is still an impressive artist, a stellar reader, a quick mathematician and is becoming a great writer. He is really maturing and I just love to talk to him. Most of all he is a JOY to be around and he is making Cody and I proud of him everyday! 

I love you Colton Wyatt! Happy 10th Birthday!