Hello, You've Reached the Horvath's

Hanging with Uncle Steve

2009-12-15T19:44:00.003-06:00

Tristen likes Uncle Steve's face.

So do I :-)

Happy Anniversary Steve! I love you.

Tristen looks a bit concerned in this one...big yellow dog approaching on the right!

Resting

2009-12-13T13:03:00.003-06:00

We have been resting around here after the flurry of activity surrounding Thanksgiving break, and also the 30 posts in 30 days of November.

*Ah-hem.* (This is how I think clearing your throat would be spelled)

Ok, so it wasn't quite 30 posts. I think the grand total was 28, but that's pretty close!

I promise I will be posting more regularly again soon. But for now, this picture will have to do. It is an accurate depiction of "Rest". And she snores like a freight train...

Brothers

2009-11-29T21:27:00.004-06:00

For some odd reason, I was looking through my "2007" folder of pictures on the computer tonight. We have thousands of pictures, but not all that many of Seth and Caleb together. At this age, it is so hard to get a picture of both of them looking in the same direction! Here are a few I came across. Love these boys!

Bugaloos

2009-11-28T18:37:00.005-06:00

For those of you who either have babies, will have babies, have friends with babies, or have grandchildren who are or will someday be babies...listen up.

I saw my friend Sarah from New Jersey very BRIEFLY (too briefly!) this past weekend, and she told me about some shoes for babies that are called Bugaloos. Keeping socks and shoes on babies is a tedious task! Bugaloos are soft soled shoes made with soft leather that have elastic around the ankles in order to keep them on babies' feet. They have really cute designs and are also extremely affordable compared to other brands of soft soled baby shoes (that I will refrain from mentioning).

How cute are those with the little tree and birdie? From what I saw on the website, every pair is $14.99 and if you buy three pairs, shipping is free.

And one of the best things about purchasing these little shoes is that 5% of their profits go to support the International Justice Mission which is an organization that fights sex trafficking of women and children around the world. So you can get a sweet little pair of shoes and know that at least some of your money is going to a very worthwhile endeavor.

I am pretty sure Tristen needs a pair of these:

Or maybe these....
Oh, but these are so cute, too!!

Great gift idea for a baby shower or Christmas!!!

O Christmas Tree

2009-11-27T22:44:00.003-06:00

Our little cheap-o tree that we have had for about 5 years bit the dust last year. It had been leaning a little more to the left every year, and when I was taking it down the stand cracked. So we tossed it and wondered what we were going to do this year (real or fake?)....until I saw the day-after-Thanksgiving ads.

$129 tree at Home Depot - $49, Friday only. Limited Quantities

So I set the alarm for 5:30am but was woken instead by sick little Caleb at 4:30am. Got him settled by 5:30 and headed out at 5:45. Got to Home Depot at 6am (when they opened!) and still managed to be the 7th person to grab one of the 9 Christmas trees on sale! That's right, they only had NINE at that price.

Seth excitedly pulling ornaments out of the box.

Seth putting the first ornament of 2009 on the tree.

Mr. Turkey

2009-11-26T20:32:00.003-06:00

I am thankful for my first ever turkey...

I am thankful that I found all the gross stuff inside that was supposed to come out beforehand.

I am thankful that I never dropped it, since a 20 lb slippery naked turkey is sort of hard to wrangle.

I am thankful that, as I was trying to tuck the wing under because it kind of freaked me out that it was swaying in the wind, I didn't gag when I heard the bone crack. But I thought about it.

I am thankful that Steve didn't drop it when I made him hold it while I rearranged the racks inside the oven (*note to self - do this first next time.)

I am thankful that, when it took an hour and a half longer to cook than it was supposed to and it STILL WASN'T DONE, my Mom was able to find enough meat off the top that was done in order to feed the hungry family. The rest had to go in for ANOTHER HOUR. Total cooking time - 6 1/2 hours

I am thankful that, after all that, it still tasted pretty darn good.

But mostly, I am thankful for God's provision in my life, for the love of family, and for days that are a great reminder of how much He loves us. Happy Thanksgiving!

Western Seth

2009-11-25T13:24:00.005-06:00

Seth's elementary school had Western Day yesterday (complete with Square Dancing during PE...would have LOVED to have seen them teaching that to kindergarteners!)

I, of course, remembered Western Day on Monday evening about 7pm. So I went scrambling around for some things for him to wear and I think he looked great!

He was not excited about taking pictures at first. Here is the evidence:

It was a *tad* early in the morning for a photo shoot, I will admit! But he warmed up quickly.

He was the cutest little cowboy! Steve and I went to his class that morning while they had their Thanksgiving Feast party. I will post pictures from it soon!

Caleb's Homemade Fun

2009-11-24T21:25:00.005-06:00

I love the way kids can turn anything into a toy! And with Caleb, it usually has to involve running, jumping, body slamming, swinging or sliding.

Today, it was sliding down our old crib mattress.

Then he paused for a moment...and showed me his baby blues.

And I am just not sure what this next face says!

Seth & Tristen

2009-11-23T17:22:00.003-06:00

Seth decided to check Tristen for "fever". :-)

Let Sleeping Boys Lie

2009-11-21T22:23:00.002-06:00

Darth Dynamite

2009-11-20T10:00:00.001-06:00

OK, if you never saw Napoleon Dynamite OR if you didn't care for the humor in the movie, don't even bother watching this clip. You will think it is dumb, and then you will question my sense of humor and wonder what is wrong with me. So just save yourself all that hassle and don't even watch it.

But if you have a soft spot in your heart for Napoleon and you have seen the movie a couple times, then you might just get a laugh out of this spoof off Star Wars with Napoleon starring (sort of) as Darth Vadar. Check it out...

Desert Song by Brooke Fraser

2009-11-19T22:14:00.003-06:00

Our band is doing this song at our church on Sunday morning. Love it! My favorite section is

All of my life

In every season

You are still God

I have a reason to sing

I have a reason to worship

Goldmine (Or "Boo-ya", as Steve wanted it titled)

2009-11-18T19:25:00.005-06:00

I went by the Salvation Army today - partly because I was in the neighborhood and partly because I had some time to kill while waiting to pick Caleb up from preschool.

Lo and behold - it was 50% off all clothing today! I do not usually find anything for myself at thrift stores, but Steve LOVES thrift store shirts (the trendy term would be "vintage"). And Caleb and Seth are 5 and 3, and it is great to find them play clothes there for cheap. I can send them outside and not bat an eye when they come in with rust, dirt, trampoline grime, sand, mud and grass stains on them.

Today, I found 4 shirts for Seth and 1 shirt for Steve, and the grand total (including tax) was $6.98!

(After I had posted these pictures, I realized how wrinkly the shirts were. I sort of wanted to go and tumble the shirts in the dryer and re-take the pictures. I then realized how silly that was, and decided to just make note of the fact that I KNOW they are wrinkled instead. It somehow makes me feel better. :-)

Jewelry for a Great Cause!

2009-11-17T11:28:00.005-06:00

Tracy at JunkPosse makes amazing necklaces. She is currently donating 30% of the profits from a select group of necklaces to the Bottomly's Ethiopia Adoption Travel Expenses. (Amy and Josh adopted Silas from Ethiopia back in 2007 when he was a teeny tiny 8 lbs at 4 months old, and now he is almost 3! They are currently on the waiting list to adopt

a little girl from Ethiopia as well!)

Here are some of the necklaces.

Hope for Africa found here

Heart For Africa found here

Hands for Africa found here

Hope For Children found here

Really great necklaces! They would make great Christmas presents (hint hint). If for some reason any of the above links are marked sold out, you can click on the JunkPosse store link right here to find the necklace listed again.

Happy Shopping!

Old School

2009-11-16T21:02:00.002-06:00

My sweet husband knew I was getting home late tonight and had not done a blog post today, so he scanned in some of our wedding pictures so I would have something to post. Wasn't that sweet of him....collective "awwwww".

Youngsters.

My Girls.

Walking down the aisle. (I love this one because my Mimi is in the background.)

The wedding chapel we got married at in Upland, CA.

Youngsters again.

Me and my great Pops, youngster Steve in the back, and I can see my nephew Colton who was just a baby and is now almost 9!

We worked at a children's home at the time, and some of the kids were

able to come to our wedding. Special memories!

On the Porch

2009-11-15T15:17:00.004-06:00

Our kids love hanging out on our front porch. Today, as Steve and Seth left for a birthday party and Tristen snoozed inside, Caleb and I spent a little time on the ol' front porch.

I took all of these shots within about 3 minutes, and I love how many different facial expressions he made in that small amount of time. I was catching pictures between times of him picking up rocks and dirt and throwing them over and over. Boys :-)

When I Was Younger...

2009-11-14T20:37:00.004-06:00

When I was younger (lot's younger), I used to always say things like, "When I'm a mom, I am going to be a "cool" mom. I am going to stay up with the trends. I am going to resist the urge to age before my time. I'm not going to wear "mom" jeans. And I am for sure NOT going to EVER drive a minivan."

Fast forward to 2009 and I have three kids 5 and under living in my home...

Now, if someone told me I had won the Car Lottery and I could pick ANY car out there that I wanted, what do you think I would pick?

I also used to think minivans were cheap. A 2009 Honda Odyssey with 20K miles on it goes for $35,000 on Craigslist. At that cost, I might be able to get a 2009 Honda Odyssey in about 2015...

Chicken Scallopine

2009-11-13T19:44:00.009-06:00

Chicken Scallopine has always been one of my favorite italian dishes. I needed to make a meal today for our friend Mindie that had a baby this past weekend, and this one fit all the parameters for a new mom:

Nothing Spicy

No Onions

No Beans

No Red Sauce

I found this particular recipe on Pioneer Woman's website. Can I just say....I Love The Pioneer Woman! And I am very excited that she will be coming to Dallas on Tuesday, December 1st to sign her cookbook at the Border's off Preston in Dallas.

This recipe was super easy. Start with boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Pound them to equal thickness with a rolling pin.

Ummm....appetizing, huh?

Next, boil 1 lb. linguine. Set aside (you can always toss it in a little olive oil to keep it from sticking.)

Sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt & pepper then dredge in flour (or drag, dredge just sounds cooler...) Put them in a pan with 4 T melted butter and 2T olive oil. Cook until golden brown.

Throw 12oz. of sliced mushrooms into the same pan.

Add 1 cup dry white wine and the juice from one lemon.

Reduce heat to low and stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream (I used half-and-half). At this point, Pioneer Woman adds a heaping Tablespoon of capers and some chopped parsley. I was making this for a woman who just gave birth, and I was a little afraid of adding capers. I had some, I just couldn't do it. Besides, I still don't really know what they are...and if she asked me, I didn't want that to be my answer. So I left them out.

Put the chicken on top of the linguine and pour the sauce all over the top. Add shredded parmesan to the top and ....wallah! Chicken Scallopine.

I also made a salad to go with it. This one is also super easy. Spring mix, sliced strawberries, mandarin oranges and feta cheese. Top it with Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette (preferably Newman's Own) and you have a pretty salad that took almost no prep work. (I just remembered I forgot the almond slivers! They add a nice crunch to the salad)

If you haven't tried Pilsbury's Country Italian Bread, you don't know what you're missing! It is in a can, by the biscuits, and you bake it at 350 degrees for about 25 - 30 minutes. SO GOOD!!

Here is the full recipe from Pioneer Woman's site. Happy Cooking!!

CHICKEN SCALLOPINE

Ingredients

1 pound Linguine
6 whole Boneless, Skinless, Trimmed Chicken Breasts
Salt And Pepper (to Taste)
Flour
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
4 Tablespoons Butter
12 ounces, weight White Mushrooms, Sliced Thin
1 cup Dry White Wine
Chicken Broth (optional)
1 whole Lemon
½ cups Heavy Cream (can Use Half And Half)
1 teaspoon (heaping) Capers
Chopped Fresh Italian Parsley
Parmesan Cheese, For Topping

Preparation Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Flatten chicken breasts to uniform thickness. Salt and pepper both sides, then dredge in flour. Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry chicken breasts until golden brown. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Throw mushrooms into the pan and stir. Immediately pour in wine and chicken broth (optional), and then squeeze juice of 1/2 to 1 lemon. Stir to deglaze the pan, and then cook vigorously for 1 minute, until sauce reduces.

Pour in cream and stir, then add capers and parsley and stir. Turn off heat. Stir and add salt and pepper to taste. Don’t under salt!

Place pasta and chicken on a platter and top with every last drop of sauce. Generously sprinkle Parmesan Cheese over the top.

The Mesmerizing Glow

2009-11-12T21:59:00.007-06:00

I love when Seth and Caleb get up in the computer chair together.

Seth navigates, and Caleb watches.

(Don't they look SO MUCH ALIKE in this next picture??)

Tonight, it was sesamestreet.com

And I love seeing the excitement on these little faces!

Two more great sites for kids ages 2 - 6(ish) are

www.starfall.com

www.pbskids.org

Thanks Jen!

2009-11-11T14:07:00.010-06:00

My friend Jen of I Believe in Love nominated me for a Kreative Blogger award. Thanks so much, Jen!

The rules are that I have to share 7 things about myself that people might not know and then nominate 7 more bloggers to do the same.

1. I went backpacking right after I graduated from college, and we made it to all of the places I marked on this map. We stayed for 2 months, and it was an incredible experience! Looking back, I am SO glad I did that at that time in my life. I can't imagine having a spare 2 months anytime in the near future!

2. Staying with the Travel theme, I have also been to 38 states, Mexico and Canada. (Thanks for all those childhood road trips Mom and Dad!)

3. When I was 21 and doing a summer internship in the LA area, I went with a group of friends to see The Price is Right. I was the first contestant called up, I won the first item up for bid (a Lobster tennis ball machine) and I won both prizes in the Clock Game (a bed and a TV). When I spun the Big Wheel, all three of us tied on the first spin. When I spun again, I got 95 cents and tied with another girl. The third time I spun, I got a nickle. No Showcase Showdown for me.

4. I live in the house that my Grandmother built in the early 60's. My Dad was still in high school. When he married my mom, they lived here until they built a house (next door). While my sister was in college, she lived in this house. My brother and sister-in-law moved in with her for while after they got married. So, in other words, every person in my immediate family has lived in the house that we currently call home.

5. I LOVE Garage Sales. I love digging up that treasure that someone else doesn't want and I can find a great use for! I also love bargain hunting and searching the sales racks. I need to join Target Shoppers Anonymous.

6. I have an intense love of fans. When I sleep, I must have a fan on. This is really the only area in my life where I consider myself high maintenance. I need circulating air, even in the dead of winter, and I need the noise of the fan to drown out any distracting noises around me (people breathing or snoring, dogs barking, creaks, road noise). I have met several other people in my life who have the same love with the same intensity: My friend Amy's husband Josh, my friend Cindy, and Steve's step-mom Jacey.

7. When my husband and I met, we worked at Hillview Acres Children's Home in Chino, CA (home of Chino State Prison and a whole lotta smelly cows). I lived in a house with 10 girls, ages 4 - 16 and he lived in a house with 10 boys. We were friends for about 9 months, and then he accidentally sent me an email that was meant to be sent to his friend. At the bottom, it said, "You should save this email in case Courtney and I get married someday." And the rest....

is history.

So I am really tired and I am not going to tag anyone for this (I know some of you are leaping for joy as you read this.) But you know who you are, and you know I love you :-)

A-E-I-O-U

2009-11-10T21:58:00.004-06:00

Caleb loves letters. Caleb especially loves vowels.

So when Caleb gets in the bath, this is what he does...immediately.

The other day, he actually took A-E-I-O-U to bed with him. At first, I thought maybe it wasn't such a hot idea. I mean, after all, they get wet all the time, they might be slimy. But then...

He gives me this smile, and it can be pretty hard to take the slimy vowels away.

Seth at his Finest

2009-11-09T20:42:00.006-06:00

From the Horvath Family Movies Archives

(or HFMA for short...)

Seth, age 4 years, singing Brown Bear, Brown Bear

This was his first experience with a Mac Book, where you can watch yourself as

you record a movie.

Seth, age 4 years, Exercising to Jillian Michaels "30 Day Shred"

The hip circles give him a little trouble... but don't you wish you had this kind of energy?

Just a normal Sunday night...

2009-11-08T19:32:00.007-06:00

WWF in the recliner...

And he's going down...

and comes right back for more...

Steve feeding Seth a bottle...

And surprise...

Caleb...

making mischief...

by putting a DVD in the fish tank.

He offered to climb in and get it...

How did you spend your Sunday night?

We're Makin' Cookies

2009-11-07T20:25:00.005-06:00

That is what Steve and Seth sing on Saturday mornings when they partake in their new father-son tradition.

"We're Ma-kin' Coo-kies!"

A few Saturday's ago, Steve decided that he was going to make cookies from scratch with Seth. Their first attempt was oatmeal raisin.

Seth looks like the cooking equivalent of the mad scientist in this next picture...

He really loves that mixer!

The next Saturday, they made Thumbprint cookies. When Steve told me he was going to make these, I had never eaten one in my life. So I was a bit skeptical.

I am no longer skeptical. Yum-my. They are a shortbread type cookie with raspberry preserves in the middle.

They made peanut butter cookies a few Saturday's ago, but I didn't get any pictures. I am glad they have this fun new tradition to share together!

Dear Tristen

2009-11-06T06:00:00.000-06:00

Dear Tristen,

Let's "take it to the next level" tonight, as Uncle Steve likes to say. You weigh almost 11 lbs now and have a double chin, so I bet we can go a 4 hour stretch tonight without having to eat.

What ya say?

Love,

Aunt Courtney