Good food, good friends, good juice!

Good food, good friends, good juice!

Q and I are in a dinner group with a bunch of our good friends! This time, Bradley and Liane got their Napa...they had Mike and Aaron come in and pair wine with different foods(that they prepared)...well it ended up being about 4 different courses...some of the best food I have ever tasted! And more wine than you can imagine! :)

It's funny how guys and girls instantly separate at these parties... they are always a blast and all of the ladies enjoy a little girl time!

Cheers to us!

Thank you Bradley and Liane!

Big Truck Night!

Hutton Construction sponsored Big Truck Night at Maize H.S. on Thursday so we thought we would take Griffin and his cousin/buddy Kolton with us! The boys seemed to love every part until the motorcycles started up (they were pretty loud)!

Here is Kolton helping us out!

There were all kinds of "Big Trucks" from motorcycles to tractors to fire trucks to Handy Manny trucks (as Kolton called them)

Kolton could not have been more excited to sit in the tractor! Too cute!

We are raisin' him right ;) Griffin was most excited to sit in the Limo!

The night would not have been complete without ice cream!

Thanks Bryn for letting us borrow your son for the night! We had so much fun with him! I love that the boys/buddies will grow up doing fun things together and causing tons of trouble for us! "Double Trouble"

Gratitude project! Days 2-7

Day 7: Grateful for new discoveries!

The first new discovery today made me laugh a little, while eating lunch shirtless, Griffin discovered his nippples! Now the second discovery today makes me a little nervous for my future with a little man that can now climb!

Saturday Day 6: Grateful for many generations!

Quentin's Grandpa Joe told him today that he "never thought he would get another little Quentin", when speaking of Griffin. I thought that was so sweet for many reasons! Grandpa Joe is quite the guy and reminds me so much of my own grandfather, who I wish could have known my little Griffin! When Q told me this, it almost brought tears to my eyes! Quentin was quite the trouble maker when he was a kid and I think Grandpa Joe sees a little of himself in Quentin!

Friday Day 5:

Day 4: Fun events that my little man and his cousin can share together!

Big Truck Nite!

Day 3:

Today I am grateful for cute little hats that keep my little man stylin'!

If you know me, you know that I am a slave for cute accessories...Griffin included(accessories that is)! Found the cutest little hats for G out shopping today, just waiting for the right weather/outfit to pair them with! Check out the lion: it is one of my new favs!

Day 2:

I am forever indebted to my crock pot! It cooks healthy delicious meals for my family (Griffin included) and takes only minutes to prepare....for this busy mama, it is just what the doctor ordered.

Check out one of my favorite blogs on crock pots: http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/

So for Day 2 of this project: I am grateful for my crockpot and the amazing meals it prepares for this busy mama!

New Found Love: Cupcakes!!!

Well, I have discovered I have a new found love for cupcakes!!! I mean...how much better can you get, a bite size portion of delicious cake that you can decorate a million different ways...how much better does it get!

New book that I love love love!!
Found a great recipe: (Yes I made them from scratch!)

Makes about 30 cupcakes
1 3/4 cups cake flour, not self-rising
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt; mix on low speed until combined. Add butter, mixing until just coated with flour.

2. In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 3 parts, scraping down sides of bowl before each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat.

3. Bake 17 to 20 minutes.

Buttercream Icing Recipe that I used:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
6 to 8 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. With mixer on low speed, add 6 cups sugar, milk, and vanilla; mix until light and fluffy. If necessary, gradually add remaining 2 cups sugar to reach desired consistency.
I'd say they turned out pretty cute!!!

YUM!

Gratitude project!

A friend of mine started a gratitude project that I just love! So, I thought I would start one of my own...hey, imitation is the finest form of flattery, right?!

Day 1: Grateful for little creatures!

As Quentin and I were out tonight doing a little yard work, we came across a little frog! Griffin was surprising gentle with him (anyone who knows him, knows that he is anything but gentle)! He just loved the frog and played with him until we decided the frog needed a little breathing room!

YEK fundraiser!

YEK- a great organization to help youth entrepreneurs. They had an amazing event at the Koch's home in Wichita this past Friday! Some of the great things about the party:

1. Night out with my husband

2. Night out with fun friends

3. Fabulous Drinks

4. Great food!!

5. Band that played great music...the girls and I enjoyed some fun dancing!! (riverdancing included)

6. Inviting Liz Koch to our dinner group!! (funny story and lots of drinks included in this)

7. Bling box!!! (fundraising item) mine included dinner for 8 at Chesters Chef's table!!!!

8. Q got a hug from Miss Kansas when I won the Bling box item!

Erin and I
My hubby and I after stuffing our faces with amazing food!!
Yowza! It was a hot night!! Sounded like a good idea to strategically place these popsicles!
Erin and I came up with a good idea...to have Lauren/Miss Kansas hold up a Hutton constuction newsletter (we are going to photoshop it in) ha! This was a proud moment in the boy's night!

Griffin goes to the zoo!

Griffin and his friend Kale went to the zoo this week! They had so much fun!!! Here is a picture of the boys at the beginning of our zoo trip!

Griffin is not quite sure what to think of the sheep!

We definitely enjoy our trips to the zoo! We have been a few times this summer with different friends... the kids get to play and see the animals and I get some girl time!!!

Our precious boy!

Our baby boy is growing up before our eyes! He is such a sweet boy, and also handful! He has a mind of his own and has quite the personality! He is such a comedian, and he loves to tease us and laugh (and laugh with us)! He is a little flirt, he always smiles, laughs and talks to pretty girls! He is constantly exploring and discovering new things! He loves to help mom, which most of the time includes pulling everything out of drawers, when I am putting things up! We are enjoying every minute with him! Thought I would share one of my new favorite photos....don't let him fool you....he is not quite as sweet and innocent as he looks in this photo!

Ellis Family goes to Keystone Lake

Quentin's parents took their camper down to Keystone Lake, so his sister's family and the 3 of us went to go visit for the weekend! The kids had fun playing together in the water! We enjoyed lots of wakeboarding and skiing, and the best part of all, Rylee is now an official skiier!!! Thanks everyone for such a great time! Can't wait to do it again!!

Fore!!!

Quentin and I went up to Chapman, KS to play in a golf tournament/fundraiser this past weekend. Our team was appropriately named TEAM BELLINI!! We had the best time with our friends Nichole and Matt! Definitely the best game of golf I have played....oh wait.....it is the only game I have ever played...but none the less, we had a fabulous time! And who would of thought we would have ended up in 2nd place!

Team Bellini enjoying the day of golfing!!!
Q and Matt!!!!
Nichole and I enjoying the bellinis...hey, it's a fundraiser right??!!!

Good thing one of the Ellis duo knows what he is doing!!! He was our putting superstar that day!!!

Saying that I "played" golf is a bit of a stretch, but I did win a new golf bag for shortest drive!

Thank you Nichole and Matt for showing us such a great time and for letting us crash at your house!! Can't wait to do it again next year!!!

These are a few of my favorite things...

Griffin James is changing so quickly I can hardly believe it! I just wish I could slow down the time!!! Thought I would share some of my new favorite things that Griffin James is doing... he brings huge smiles to our faces and continues to make us laugh each and every day!!! Griffin James, from the moment you were born, you turned our world upside down and we absolutely cannot imagine our lives without you!

He LOVES giving kisses!

He says momma and dada non-stop! (Which of course we LOVE!!!)

He gets soooo excited when you come to get him out of his crib each morning!

He is a little dancin' machine! Anytime he hears music he boogies!

He now runs behind his car when he is pushing it around!

He throws everything and just giggles! Which of course is adorable.... and we laugh and then he does it again!

He claps anytime he does something good and is proud of himself (like throwing something!!)

Our new favorite..This is Griffin's new face he has been making at us lately!! We can't help but laugh every time he does it! The first time he made the face was when he was frustrated with me... but now, he does it just because!!

G pushing his car around.... pretty cute when he makes the "vroom" sound while pushing it!
Kisses from Daddy's Boy!
The new "look"!! Funniest boy ever!!!