call me a planner....

we want to take a family vacation, we never really have.  Our plan our want is California in December, you know Disney land .  Any ideas on how to get some cheap tickets and hotels??  Gotta know how much we need to save  up :)

Hike to the Y

We deicded to have a Stell Family Day of Fun Day (yes i know its redundent) So we made a nice breakfast then deicded to hike the Y.  Here is our cute family before the hike!

Slowly making it up the mountain! Can I say I love mobys! Made it SO much easier to get up! Jackie did great! She wanted to walk most the way which slowed us down but it was nice to see her having fun...we did go during nap time so we had some upset moments but she was good!

Derek tried to carry her on his shoulders. she was not too thrilled on that idea.  She wanted to be carried only when she wanted it.

Some of Jackie making her way to the Y towards the end she got sick of it so we had to talk to all the passerbys who where on their way down to keep her going

She liked to carry her drink with her

Proof we really did make it...so i know its not really that big of a deal but trust me for our family it is!

YAY!

Abby loved it....she was carried the whole way so i guess she did not get tired out

We made it down!! YAY! Derek carried Jackie and I took Abby in the Mobby! Down was much faster than up! All together it took us 2 hours 20 minutes that included a nursing stop on the way down and playing for a while up top. Jackie is pretty excited to talk about hiking to the Y  now we made it we can finally say we did it...

24

Saw this on another blog, 1 random fact about you  for each year you are old, So 24 random things would be me :)

1.  I LOVE being back in Utah (okay that was probable a given) but its wonderful to be back in an area that people care, there's wonderful grass, places to shop, and jobs that provide :) 
2.  Having 2 kids is not as hard as people made it out to be, I really don't think its that much harder, but it does make me A TON more tired
3. I enjoy being back at work, I miss my kiddos like crazy but i do enjoy working a lot
4. I still hate running
5. Despite my hate i am still going running
6. If you ask me how I am I will most likely tell you tired, combination of a baby who still wont sleep through the night, husband who works until 11 or later, and a alarm set for 7am 
7. I really really love to cook, its one of my favorite things to do!
8. I NEVER stick to a recipe nope never i am always changing them around and playing with them to make them better :) does not matter who its from lol
9. I love to spend hours looking for new recipes 
10. I am a food snob, since i love cooking, i love it when people take time to cook and prepare food and take pride in it 
11. I think all kids can be good eaters if you work with them 
12. Despite wanting my kids to love everything i do have foods i do not like top of the list SEAFOOD! yuck...but i do have Jackie try it
13. I am working on like Chinese food....at least a few items so we can eat it as a family, Derek and Jackie love it!
14. I let my daughter go to bed at 11pm a lot (we try for 10 but lets face it she is a night owl)
15. I really love 24 and hope NBC picks it up *sigh* i need more Jack in my life
16. Lost is really weird this season and i am 5 episodes behind, not too into it this time around
17. Parenthood (the TV show) is freaking awesome! I love it...as well as parenthood i think its freaking awesome and love it as well
18. I freak my self out when i am home alone at night all to easy
19. I LOVE scary movies, but look at #18 maybe i should not watch them
20. The greatest joys in my life are Derek, Jacquelyn, and Abigail
21. I love my Savior and his gospel.  I am so grateful to have it be a part of my life
22. I LOVE to breastfeed and think everyone (as long as its good for baby) should do it until your kid is at least 1, I hope Miss Abby will hang on and let me do it longer!
23. I pumped for Jackie since she would not nurse
24. I love pumping so Abby can have breast milk while i am working...even if i get some weird comments and opinions on it

So there ya go now i want YOU to do it :) thats right you reading this right now, type up ___ amount of facts about you its kinda fun! :) 

7 months NO WAY!

My dear sweet Abby,

Mommy can not believe that i am writing a post about your 7th month! Time sure has flown since you have come into our lives!  You sure have added a lot to our little family.  Taking us from 3 people to 4 makes us seem SO much bigger! We love it Abby.  We love you so much. 

You have such a sweet and loving demeanor.  You hardly cry or get upset.  You are pretty content to hang out and watch what is going on around you.  You adore your sister Jackie.  You love to watch her play and always want to join in with her! In the tub the other day she would yell and you would look at her and yell back...this went on for a good 5 minutes, mommy just  sat back and watched and laughed at the 2 of you!  You always want what ever is in Jackie's hands, what she is playing with you want to be playing with.  Jackie loves to play with you, i can only hope this continues and the two of you can develop a wonderful friendship that will last you through out your life. 

You are starting to enjoy food, although you do prefer the fruit when it comes to baby food, you seem to like veggies and meats if they are from mommys plate....i don't really blame you though those veggies and meats are not tasty (yes i have tried them YUCK!!) I think you like to feel big eating with the rest of us!

You are starting to scoot a bit...not a ton but you can get around near you up but you turn your self in a circle and roll around and move backwards....daddy wants you to get mobile but mommy still wants you to remain her little baby and that seems one step further to growing up *sigh* i guess there is nothing i can do to stop it.

You know mommys voice, when i call daddy while i am working you let out the cutest little squeals when you hear me! I LOVE it! you also give me such a huge smile when i get home from work! 


As for dislikes you don't like it when people do not appear to be paying attention to you, you love to have an audience!  You don't like bottles or cold milk although daddy is trying to make you like it to make his life easier :) Besides that you don't have many dislikes! like i said your a very easy going baby!!

You are growing like crazy sweetheart mommy loves you more then i can express.

Love,
Mommy

a perfect evening!

Did you see the sun today?

Did you go out to play?

Did you take time to enjoy?

I DID!!!  We did!!

After work we went outside and played and played and played

Derek went running, i played with the girls outside in the grass, Jackie played with friends

Abby ate grass, I loved the sun

Derek came home, but had to leave for work *sigh* we jusst never see much of each other

My girls were perfect all night, we snuggled

we played

we had snacks

we built towers

we rolled around

we built towers

we built towers

we (I) attempted to avoid giving Abby bath time....to which Jackie cried and told me

she wanted her sister to be with her

she needed her sister in the bath

she said please

I caved

Jackie watched Monsters (monsters inc.) to which she told me

she wants a monster in her closet....

Abby and I read books Abby laughed and laughed and smiled

Abby ate

I rocked her she smiled and me I smiled back over and over again

I rocked her to sleep

(a treat for mom and her! I always put her down awake)

snuggles for Jackie and mommy

laughs, hugs, giggles, tickles,

parenthood (the tv show)

we had a fun night

can the sun PLEASE stay!

because it just seems the days are so much

nicer when a lot of it can be spent out side playing in the grass!

Cute Videos from my phone

she left out I love my daddy its usually there




She LOVES to run on the track at BYU



SNUGGLES!


Jackie loves to feed Abby!



She usually includes I love my daddy but got camera shy i think

Running....

*sigh* i wish i could say i loved running! 
I wish i could tell you that i am enjoying every minute of it. 
I wish i could say i cant wait to go run....but the truth is i still HATE it!!
I love how it has helped me lose weight, i love that i am in much better shape but really once i am running i have no desire to keep running.....I would much rather do other random things....but those don't work near as well *sigh*.  
Guess i will keep running and hoping i learn to love it.  I must say i am LOVING getting into shape and losing weight and feeling smaller :) it is a wonderful feeling :)!!
I am just hoping with this new warmer weather that i can learn to love it!!  I have another 5k coming up in a month! Gotta get ready for that!  I want to be able to run it all....but I have a long way to go!
SO if you want to run and don't care that I am slow wanna go with me??  I could use some good motivation!
I have now lost 40lbs! This makes me so incredibly happy!  I still have some weight i want to lose and a poor stomach that needs help after 2 kids but i think i can pull through!

wanna make the last post even better???

okay okay sooooo cafe rio/costa is sooo good and really its their tortillas that push them over the top...now i know you can buy the ones you cook your self but TRUST me make these its the way to go!  plus hey its super cheap to make them :) They are SUPER easy and ohhh soo tasty!! Just go here :) really it took me all of 5 minutes to make them today for my first time :)

cafe rio/costa vida

as requested here you go Adrienne!!
Cafe Rio
2 1/2 lbs Pork Tender thawed (roast style)
Mix:
1 1/2 C brown sugar with
1 1/2 C salsa
1 can coke
(just do equal parts of brown sugar & salsa - how ever much you think you need/want)

Put pork in Crock-Pot and pour mixture over it. Cook it on low for 7 hrs (or until meat is cooked). Shred pork and cook an additional 30 min minimum. The pork will absorb all the juices.


Cafe Rio Rice

3 cups rice (recipe uses instant rice to use regular rice do 6 cups water to 3 cups rice)
4 cups water
4 tsp. chicken bouillon
1 Tbs. butter
1/2 onion chopped
4 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 can diced green chilies
1/2 tsp. salt

Saute onion and garlic with the butter until the onion is soft. Add the rice and water and all other ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer for about 15-20 minutes.

Creamy Cilantro Tomatillo Salad Dressing

1 package dry Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing
1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 cup cilantro, chopped
2 cloves garlic
3 tomatillos (skin off)
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Put all ingredients into a blender. Chill before serving and it will thicken.

ten tiny babies

Jackie always seems to have a certain book she wants read at night.  It will be the same book for a long time and Derek and I will get so sick of it or have it too well memorized we switch it up.  Right now her book is

when it came time for bed tonight she ran into her room saying "i read ten tiny babies by Karen Kats tonight mom!"

she then proceed to read recite the entire book to me.  Besides a word here or there she got the whole thing....lol maybe its time to switch to a new book?

I love my little Jackie I love hearing her read  recite books, after story time we say prayers, there is really nothing in this world like hearing your child say a prayer by her self.  I love watching her grow in her prayers

I love listening to her speak to our Father in Heaven.  I love hearing the things she asks for and blesses.  It makes my night! 

Nothing in this world beats being a mom!