A Little Taste of Heaven

So I have been craving chocolate fondue for a while, but didn't want to attempt to make it in fear of it not coming out well. However, I found a recipe online that looked like I couldn't really mess it up and I wanted to try and add something to it to hopefully make it taste like the one fondue Josh and I had at the melting pot a while ago. So I gave it a try and we LOVED it. I think the recipe is for 4 people and Josh and I ate the entire thing, except for maybe a couple tablespoons (I think we left that just to feel a little better about eating so much of it). Needless to say we were extremely full but it was SO worth it.
If you want to taste something awesome, and maybe gain a couple pounds in the process... here ya go. It's so easy to... a fun thing to make when having company or going to a party and have to take something along.

White Chocolate Butterfinger Fondue:
1 entire bag of Ghirardelli Classic White Chips - I found these at walmart ( I think it equals about 2 1/4 cups)
3/4 cup of heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla
1 regular sized butterfinger bar (crushed up)

I put all of this in my crockpot on low for about and 1 hour and 15 mins and then kept it to warm for about 30 more minutes until we were ready to dive in! Once it starts to melt stir occasionaly. I put it in a really small crock pot.. if you only have a large one, put it in a smaller oven safe dish and put that dish inside your crock pot... you may just have to cook it longer. Just keep an eye on it.
Or if you have a fondue set you can do it in there obviously . :)
Enjoy! It is SO GOOD!
We liked dipping banana slices in it the best. But we also enjoyed the pineapple and strawberries too.

LOTS of Snow Here

Here are a few pictures of the snow coming down here. We have about 8 inches now I think. I think it is so pretty while the huge snowflakes are falling!

Will and the dogs playing on the side hill in the snow

Will making some tracks in the snow with his dump truck - surprising right?

Where ever you place Abby she stays there. I've never seen her so still in my life. She is usually on the go ,but out in the snow she stays put. She can't walk well with her boots, especially when the snow is so deep.

Sweet Girl all bundled!

Will and I made a snowman with this cute snowman kit that his Aunt Melissa and Uncle Matt got him for Christmas. He named him Gordon.

Abby and Gordon! I think she is a little concerned.

Yeah for the snowman. I am not so good at making them, plus this snow wasn't the easiest to pack down. Will still enjoyed the mini guy. Neither of the kids last long in the snow, which is fine by me :)! However, it takes SO long to get them dressed in all that snow gear and its quite hard bending over and putting it on them while being pregnant... haha, maybe thats why we don't go out in the snow often. But when we do, its fun for a while. Anyone want to come play in the snow? Come on up!

3

Will turned 3 yesterday. I can't hardly believe it. I remember waiting for his arrival so anxiously. What a sweet and easygoing baby he was and has grown into a rambunctious, fun-loving, and passionate boy. He is excited about every little thing and is so easy to please and entertain. He could play with his monster trucks, cars, and tractors on the couch by himself for hours. He also will watch the same show or movie over and over until he has it memorized... definitely doesn't get bored easily. He has a love for the bible already - he has a couple stories memorized word for word - and his cover is off and the binding is already starting to rip away because of reading it so much. (maybe I can learn a lesson from that :)) He loves his sister and every friend he meets is instantly his best friend. He is such a wonderful gift from the Lord.

I love you Will. Happy 3rd Birthday!!!


Daddy made Will an awesome monster truck cake! That is what Will asked for this year.

He had watched cars and ate cake with his cousins and grandparents for his birthday. He had a blast. He loved the cake and enjoyed each present and card as if it was the only one he got.


He is really studying his cake in this picture

Blowing out the candles that were in the big wheels.

He got several neat gifts, but the one he thanked God for at night was his new pair of scissors. HAHA, he is SO excited that he is "big" enough now to use scissors. I let him do it only with Josh or I, but it is still a little scary. He is growing up so fast.

Over half Way There!!!!

I'm 22 Weeks along now (thats 5 1/2 months for those of you who don't like the week counting thing). Here are a few shots of what the baby is making mommy look like these days. I'm definitely in the enjoyable part of pregnancy - for me that is. I'm past the "all-day" sickness and extreme fatigue and I'm not in the "feeling huge and not able to move around" stage yet. This baby is the most active I have had inside me yet and that is so nice to feel him/her all the time. Josh started being able to feel the baby move a little over a week ago (always nice)!

We are having ANOTHER.....

BABY!!!!!!!!

No, we did not find out what we are having. This morning Josh and I went for the major ultrasound of the baby. Praise the Lord that everything looks great so far. The measurements are all where they are supposed to be and my fluid actually is the most I've ever had. So we'll just say that is why I'm gaining so much weight with this pregnancy :)! It was very different this time not finding out, like we left with a piece of the ultrasound missing - but we are excited to be surprised on his/her birthday. Any girl name suggestions would be appreciated :)!

Little one is measuring about 6 days smaller than due date (which is give and take by ultrasound) and is weighing in at 1 pound 1 ounce. She said I have a great amount of fluid and that is comforting to know, since that wasn't the case with the last two. This baby is also in breach position as of right now and is very active. This profile picture has the baby sleeping with his/her mouth wide open (haha, just like Will) and it looks like he/she is blowing bubbles... but that is actually the umbilical cord.

This is a picture of the feet on top of each other. She said she enlarged it and
not to worry they aren't giant feet.

Enjoy baby with us!!!!
I will post a picture soon of the ever growing belly. Just have to get one up on the computer.

Christmas on the Island

Long Overdue - here are my pictures from Christmas in NC.

Here is the awesome house we stayed in thanks to my parents friends for blessing us and letting us use this!
The first day it was just Josh and I and the kids and Mimi and Poppi. It was a bit cold this day, but not too cold to keep us off the beach! Will and Abby just LOVED the sand!

Josh and Will got in some good time riding bikes together. This is Will's Christmas present - his new bike. We were going to wrap it and give it to him once we got to the house at the beach, and he saw us unpacking it and asked if it was for him. So we both just said "Merry Christmas" and gave it to him. He was so excited and wanted to ride day/night/cold... no matter what!

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This is Christmas morning. It was a little different with no tree, no lights and warm weather - but it was so nice to be all together! Poppi read the Christmas story (Luke 2) - TRADITION!
All the kids gathered around.


Here they are patiently waiting to open gifts.

Abby with her new shopping cart!

Will with his beloved tow truck that he didn't want anyone else's hands on!!!

Very excited!

Fly away Abby with her beads. She wakes up every morning and finds the beads right away. What a girlie girl!

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Will had a blast with Lauren and Lilly - being that they are all SO close in age. Will and Lauren would follow each other through the dunes everyday!

Abby would be outside ALL day if i would let her. Sorry this picture she is getting after her nasty nose.

Daddy being a goof like usual!

Cute - Daddy and his girl!
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Some of the Activities:

Boys Bonding!

The boys went fishing everyday. They were patient too, because not too much was caught.

We got to play games a lot which was fun! The boys playing poker. I was in on this game only for a little because i kept talking and wasn't paying attention enough for the guys to keep me in the game, oh well.

Ultimate Frisbee was a daily ritual. They would play for hours!

The little ones made a gingerbread house..... not lookin so pretty! But they didn't care, they ate more candy than they put on the gingerbread house and it took them over an hour! :)

Will, Lilly and Lauren playing and biking with Mimi!

Lilly and Lauren
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Family Photo Shoot Night

The older boy cousins... we couldn't get Zac to stand there on his own. Maybe next year.

Abby and her favorite family member - Poppi! She just loved him!!!!

Mommy and Abby!

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Couple Pictures!

Jen and Shaun



Christy and Scott

Josh and I

Mimi and Poppi
(Thanks for taking us here, we had a blast!!! - You are so good to us all and we love you!)
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All of the cousins. I love this one!!! What great memories!

5 YEARS

January 3rd, 2004 was a really warm day in North Carolina. We were preparing for a cold winter wedding and got hit with 70 degree weather. It was sunny and beautiful and we had the best day. I can't believe its been 5 years already! It has been an amazing journey with my husband where God has taken us through valleys and up to mountain tops. I'm thankful for all we have been through together.
This anniversary was special for us in that we left the kids with my parents for 4 1/2 days! We haven't ever left Abby overnight and the only time I left Will (other than 1 night at my parents when he was a baby) was when I had to be in the hospital after having Abby. We flew to Florida and stayed with my grandmother (Gigi). We had great weather and went to the beach everyday. We got to eat out and go to the movies, both of which we don't do often. It was such a blessing!!!!
It was hard to leave the kids, especially since Abby was sick - but they did great. Thanks Mimi and Poppi!

This picture is of Appolo beach. We got there and it looked like this - so we left and only a 1/2 mile away it was sunny. So we decided to go back and it still looked like this for another hour and a half. It took forever for the fog to burn off here, not sure why.


These fishermen were there when we got there and when we left they were still fishing. They were talking to people in boats, but we couldn't see them - until the fog lifted....


and then it looked like this. SO Beautiful and SO different! We were glad we stayed to see it.
We stayed for hours. I was able to get a lot of rest and reading in!

and of course Josh fished!

This night was when we went out for our fancy anniversary dinner. We went to Ruth Chris Steakhouse in Tampa. It was so yummy and definitely something we will only do once every 5 years ! :) Unless someone else wants to pay for us, haha!

This beach was fort Desoto, near St. Pete. We saw dolphins here and I got a short nap and lots of reading in again. Josh had fun fishing here - as you can see he got in the water this time.

This alligator was our friend !:) Not really though. Josh was fishing in this pond near my granmother's house and he was on one side of this small hill and the alligator was on the other side. Josh said to me that he didn't think the alligator still lived in this pond (he saw it last year) and then two minutes later he went to fish a few feet over and look a little scared and said get the camera! He saw him everyday in the same spot, but thankfully he never moved any closer!

I'm thankful we had a safe and relaxing trip and that God has blessed me with a wonderful husband!