So happy together

Today I got new pots and pans from Costco. They are Ameriware Professional commercial grade. My brother also bought the same set several months back and has been happy with them, so I decided I'd give them a try. It was a great deal for the money. I was holding out for All Clad, but with how pricey those puppies are I knew it would be years before I would own them. The pots and pans we currently have (going on almost 6 years) have served us well (though we've had to get rid of both frying pans due to the coating wearing off) but are coated with Teflon, which is the worst thing you could ever cook with. I know this now but didn't back when we got the cookware. So for the sake of my family's well being, I really wanted to change my cookware. So now we'll see how the new stuff does. I'm always excited to have new kitchen stuff. Plus the set came with so many pots and pans, more than I had, so I have some new pieces to find uses for. Hopefully they won't let me down.

I also finally received the Shun Classic bread knife that Gabe got me for Christmas (the company he ordered it from originally sent him a completely different knife than what he ordered). This is the knife I needed to complete my knife collection. It is beautiful. Now my Shun Classic santoku is no longer lonely. Those two are very happy together. That bread knife seriously slices bread like it's butter. Gabe and I are both impressed. And I am oh so smitten.

The big day's a-coming

So March 18th is IT. The day of our church's adult's night out event. The one in which I am catering with an all desserts menu. I am beside myself with many emotions. Excitement, anxiety, fear, anticipation, self-doubt, stress. I am starting to create the menu, which is one of the exciting things. I am going to hopefully try out some new recipes this weekend to see if the end result is worthy.

Let the baking begin!!

An homage to friends

Today we got to hang out with two of our dearest friends, Kevin and Sabrina. We got to meet their son, who is just 2 months younger than Adelaide, and they got to meet Adelaide (and see London after probably over a year of not seeing him!). They were fresh off the plane from Georgia and we met at Joe's Crab Shack in Old Sacramento. It was quite fun. They are definitely the friends who we can go years without seeing (of course there is quite a bit of communication in those years) yet when we do see each other, it's like we just got together last weekend. We've known Kevin and Sabrina for about 8 years, even before they were The Dickson's. Kevin and Gabe were in a band together for a while. The 4 of us led worship for our college group for a time. Sabrina and I lived together for a year way back when, before there were husbands, before there were kids. (Funny story from our vault: While we were living together we had an ill-fated trip to Starbucks. 10 pm and neither one of us thought to order DECAF. We said our goodnights at about midnight and both ended up back in the living room around 2 am, not able to sleep. Ahh, hindsight). Sabrina and I were in a discipleship group together for a while. We would hang out while the husbands had band practice and watch movies and/or work out. We would go grocery shopping together. I envisioned our kids growing up together, they were THOSE KIND of people.

We love Kevin and Sabrina dearly and it was so good to see them again and meet their cute, Sabrina replica son. They are those friends that we HATED to see move away and Sabrina is the girl friend I miss dearly. I don't know if we'll ever live near each other again, but I do know I would be so, so sad to not keep in touch and remain friends for as long as we walk this earth. In life we go in and out of friendships with so many different people, some we work at, most we don't. Sabrina's is one I will work hard to keep, no matter how many miles separate us.

They are coming back through this area on Monday, before they head up to Redding with Kevin's parents.. They are going to stop by our house and hang out with us for a bit. I can't wait.

A Wild Monkey Beast on crack

Anyone who has ever actually encountered the WMB never disputes when I refer to her as such. If you ever want to break a sweat doing something that was once thought simple, take a stab at changing Adelaide. The sweet, cuddly, heart melting daughter that I gave birth to 9 months ago has morphed into a writhing, strong willed, poop factory who refuses to sleep.

Here is a rare picture of the Wild Monkey Beast:

*Please note that photographers were harmed in the process

Here is a picture of the WMB trying to disguise herself as a Pajama Pirate. Poor unsuspecting souls....

Now bring us some figgy pudding

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.

We definitely had a great holiday season. Christmas was awesome with the kids (though Adelaide couldn't care less about opening presents). London was beside himself when he woke up and saw all the presents under the tree. The kid believes in Santa, which I'm okay with. I think it's a part of growing up. A right of passage. But, that certainly will not overshadow the true meaning of Christmas.. Christ. We took this opportunity to start teaching London why we celebrate at Christmas. Because God loves us and sent His Son. I know he doesn't really understand what that means, but it's our job as his parents to make sure that someday (soon) he does.

My whole family (my parents, my brothers & their families - 16 people total) spent the week between Christmas and New Year's in Tahoe. Did I mention the 16 people? That would be 8 adults and 8 kids. In one 4 bedroom house. For 5 days. Let's just say that all the tears and yelling and hitting were actually worth it. Growing up my family would hook up with another family we grew up with and head to a cabin in Vermont for the week. We did that for 5 years. Some of the best memories of my childhood came from those trips (4 adults and 7 kids!). We always had a blast! So I was stoked that our families decided to do it this year. Hopefully it will be the start of a new tradition. It was great just to get away and be with my brothers and for the cousins to be together (again, despite all the tears and yelling and hitting). I think they all had a good time. We were forced to leave a day early which totally stinks.. So we didn't actually get to ring in the New Year together. A big storm hit, they closed 50, we lost power in the house for the entire day (New Year's Eve).. So we decided since another storm was coming in that night we'd pack up and leave. Once 50 was reopened we headed out (about 4pm). It was such an abrupt end to the week, but a super fun and enjoyable week nonetheless. I'll post some pictures later today.

I hope you all had a great Christmas and New Year experience.

Now on to 2006!