Happy Easter

I love this picture.

The only picture I got them both looking.

1st Easter basket

Avocado and Apple Chicken Salad

So lately Dan and I have decided to embark on a new "diet" plan. We both have a few extra pounds we'd like to get rid of and we noticed our eating habits needed to change a little if that was going to be achieved. Well Dan has lost 7 lbs and I have lost 4 lbs in about a week and a half. It's not perfect but with doing some different things we can make it happen. So today I made this new recipe I found on The Biggest Loser website (love that show). It was delicious. I haven't gotten Dan's review of it yet but at least for me it will be made again.

Avocado and Apple Chicken Salad

2 cups of cooked chicken or turkey breast
1 cup of diced red sweet apples (I used Gala)
1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
1/4 cup toasted pecans (I did sliced almonds)
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1 1/2 tablespoon chopped mint (about 10 leaves)
1 1/2 tablespoon chopped jalapeño, seeded (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 fully ripe avocado, seeded and diced
4 cups of greens

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and serve over the mixed greens.

Serves 4

*I also added a little Raspberry vinaigrette

Life as Normal

Life in the Fry house has been pretty much normal. Just busy with school, part-time jobs and of course, James.We had a great February (even though February is a cursed month for me, story a little later). We got to see some extended family, enjoy some sun, "enjoy" some snow and enjoy each other. James turned 6 months in February. I can't believe how much he's grown already. I will admit, motherhood was a big adjustment for me but I can't imagine life without our hellion. He drives us crazy sometimes but getting to see his smiling face every morning just makes everything complete. So here are some of our favorites of James from the last month.

Disregard the noises I make to get him to laugh. :)

So, as mentioned before, February is a cursed month for me. It all started about 5 years ago. My best friend tried to kill me but it back fired on her. Ok.... not really but that's what we say. Melissa and I were in a very bad car accident our senior year of high school. We were t-boned on the drivers side going about 50 mph. Melissa pretty much should have died as a result of it. Luckily, she only had a broken collar bone, a very bruised hip and some scrapes and bruises. We say that she got all the physical injuries and I got the emotional ones because she can't remember anything and I remember everything. We were for sure close friends before the accident but this sealed the deal for us. It's one of those experiences we'll talk about and know it brought us closer. I found some pictures of the car that were taken a few days after the accident. When she totals a car, she does it good.

Why do I bring this story up? This was the start of the treaded February curse for us both. Every February something happened whether is was physical or emotional. Some Februarys were worse than others but this last February was actually good for us both. So we're crossing our fingers that the curse is over!!!! :)

Bath Time

James absolutely hated taking baths when he was first born. Now that he's older.... he loves them. He gets one usually every night after he eats some cereal and veggies. He is such the happiest baby during his baths as well as after all wrapped up.  

I just love that face.

He is still having a problem with his sleep. Apparently, it's normal for 5-8 month olds to have some sleep disruptions. We think he possibly could be teething, which would explain the sleep disruptions. He's gotten in the habit of waking up at around 10:30-11pm and not go back to sleep unless I feed him (which he usually doesn't eat very much) or give him Tylenol. We've been letting him cry-it-out but he'll just cry forever unless we do one of the 2 things. This has been happening the last 3 nights so cross your fingers this ends soon.

Playtime

Goodbye 2012... Can We Do It Again?

Let me make myself clear. I have no regrets whatsoever in 2012. I loved 2012. It was a great year full of great times and I would love to live them all over again. I was pregnant for about 70% of the year. I loved being pregnant. I can only hope that all my pregnancies are that enjoyable. We went to California and had an amazing trip. Everyday was filled with new adventures. I graduated college. I can't tell you how much I miss school already. It's one of those situations where people tell you to enjoy it and live in the moment but all you can see is the end. I definitely lived in the moment but it feels like it went too fast. We welcomed James into our lives. Being a mother is one of the most emotionally and sometimes physically difficult experiences I've ever had so far but it's true about being the most gratifying and best accomplishment a woman can do. Dan and I celebrated our 2 year anniversary. 2 years seems like nothing to some people but these past 2 years have been the best of my life and I can only imagine how great the years to come will be. Then comes the holidays. I love the holiday season and this year it seems like it came and went in a blink of an eye. We spent Thanksgiving in Utah with my Dad, aunts and uncles and grandparents. It was great. I love being able to spend time with family and we for sure got to spend time with a lot of family. Sadly, we don't have pictures of that week but my cousin, who by the way is a great photographer, took some photos for our Christmas card.

As you can tell, James lasted about 5 minutes before wanting to end. After Thanksgiving, we came back to Rexburg so Dan could finish the semester. We are so blessed that Dan did well on his finals and passed all his classes. I'm so proud of him and what he has done. He had a really, really tough load this last semester and barely made it out in one piece. After the crazy semester, we headed up northwest to Washington for Christmas break. It was 3 weeks of bliss. We played many games, had many shopping trips, bowling, ice skating (which I really enjoyed) and all this was mixed in with, of course, our awesome friend sickness. It's pretty much inevitable to not get sick with as many people we had in a close space. That aside we had many laughs and many memories made. I can't tell you how blessed I am to have married into such an amazing family. We already miss being able to see everyone. There were many pictures that were taken but I forgot to get them from my mother-in-law.  
So now we're back in freezing temperatures (it's 36 degrees right now and we consider that warm for us) and back to the school schedule. I have to say I miss vacation because vacation meant Dan was home to hangout with and to help with James. He is such a daddy's boy it's not even funny. He's growing so much and it's crazy to think in 8 months he'll be a year old. I only have 8 month left of a baby. Besides that sad realization, 2013 will be filled with again many changes. We say.... bring it on!!!

He loves his Bumbo

1st plane ride

Dad's last 1st day of school

Grandpa Ashton's Christmas present