New Tradition

 I have been reflecting on our family  traditions for the past few weeks and making it a point to get started and to continue with traditions we have started.  

And we have one more to add to our list... this past weekend was General Conference- (a two day conference held twice a year where leaders of our church speak) and I really wanted to make this an exciting and special weekend by having a huge hot breakfast with the works on Saturday and then hot homemade cinnamon rolls on Sunday. I also created a conference bag where Little Man could pick an activity or a treat to do every time he heard the choir sing! He loved it! My heart is so full from the messages that were shared. Next conference will be held in April and I will share photos of our conference feast and bag (since I neglected to take any this year)!

Anyhow, start thinking of traditions you want to incorporate in your family...next month there just may be a challenge around traditions!

I am off- nap-time for little man is almost over!

besitos,
xo

Gift #7- Have Family Traditions

So, I bet you are wondering what my gift #7 was?? 

Okay you most likely haven't even thought twice about it- but I need something to distract myself while I am pretending to calmly be busy while I am "ignoring" my 2 year old's tantrum...So, here it is.

I love traditions. They create memories and bond a family together for years to come. Your children will hold on to these memories for the rest of their lives.

This Valentine's Day I wanted it to not only be a romantic date night  with the mister but to include my other little Valentine in my life. So Little Man and I decorated the house and set the table for a yummy Valentines dinner prepared by yours truly- and best part....DESSERT!

We don't have a lot of dessert in our house- so this is a huge treat!!

Little Man's Vday card.

The Mister's Vday card.

 

Heart pizza and Cesar salad...followed by a chocolate heart cake!

It was an amazing day. I can't wait to pull these plates out next year!

Gift #7 Have family traditions.

besitos

Cross another off the FALL LIST...

I have great memories of making Halloween dinner with my cousin Hilda and thought I would bring that tradition into my family. So, last night I made jack-o-laterns (stuffed yellow peppers)

STUFFED PEPPERS

1 cup Wild Rice

4 whole Bell Peppers Innards Removed and faces cut out

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 cup Yellow Onion, Diced

3 cloves Garlic, Minced

3 whole Italian Sausage Links, Casings Removed

1 Tablespoon Ground Cinnamon

1 teaspoon Freshly Grated Nutmeg

1 Tablespoon Smoked Paprika

1 pinch Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

¼ cups Yellow Raisins

1 pinch Coarse Salt

1 pinch Freshly Ground Pepper

1 carton (26.46 Oz. Size) Pomi Strained Tomatoes, Divided

¼ cups Freshly Grated Parmesan

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Cook the rice in boiling water for about 20 minutes.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the onion and saute 4 minutes. Add the garlic and bloom 30 seconds. Add the sausage and break up with a wooden spoon. Cook about 5 minutes until fully cooked. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, paprika, diced bell pepper tops,and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Saute another minute.

Add 1/2 cup of the strained tomatoes and stir to combine.

Stuff each pepper with the sausage mixture and place in a small baking dish.

Bake 30 minutes.

Switch oven to broiler, sprinkle peppers with cheese, stick it back in for a minute, until the cheese melts.

Serve peppers with a good drizzle of the bubbly tomato sauce. 

While I was writing this post I realized I haven't posted this year's FALL LIST yet and well- we are almost through fall...how fast time flies by... you can see some of the recent things we crossed off our list on my sister-in-law's blog here and here.

My fall list:

Pumpkin Patch

Carve pumpkins

Play in the leaves

Leaf Art

Carmel Apples

Halloween Dinner

Watch Troll 2

Buy Scented fall soap

Make a bonfire in the backyard

Spend an entire day cuddling

Halloween sugar cookies

Have Apple Cider

Fall nail polish

What is on your list?

Besitos,

Weed and Wish of the day...

WEED: staying up with little man for four hours in the middle of the night... then missing early morning cycling class because I was too sleepy.

WISH: having little man reach across and put his arm around me during those sleepless four hours and I did make it to pm cycling class.

What were YOUR weeds and wishes of the day?

TRY THIS: make it a tradition to ask each family member at the dinner table what their "weed" and "wish" was for the day. Great way to have family conversation and acknowledge the "highlights" or "lowlights" of each and every day.  

besitos,