"Cheese!"

It's about that time... family pictures for Christmas Cards! Janelle Joy Photography is who we used last year and have already scheduled our appointment for this year. She is amazing. The way she captures eyes and personalities and lighting is amazing. She is SOO patient with kids and spends whatever time needed. Working with her after pics on editing and ordering is also such a great experience- she is fabulous and talented. AND! Right now on her blog she is having a contest giving away a free session and CD- a $350 value!!! If you are in the Mesa/Gilbert/Queens Creek area, you will have to check her out at http://janellejoy.com/blog/.

I'm off to enter myself!

The Phantom is Back...

AGHHHHHHH!!!!

Every October it is so much fun when the kiddos hear the doorbell ring late at night and run to the door and find... that we've been spooked!

This year the Phantom was creative and brought a big box full of fresh hot Krispy Kreme donuts, a Krispy Kreme hat for each of the kids, and Finger Suckers!

Colby ate two donuts before bed and was licking his lips as he drifted off to sleep.... Thanks Phantom! We are off to do it tonight! If you'd like to do it too, head to www.jenuinejen.com//wp-content/images/spooked.pdf.

Cow"ghoul" Cookies

Bakerella is the baking goddess. Love her fun ideas and yummy recipes. She had a super cute Cowgirl Cookie Mix in a jar that was just adorable using pink m&m's. I actually have never done the mix in the jar thing before but wanted to try... I first tried out the recipe with the girlys to make sure we liked it... Wow. It was YUMMY. The kiddos gobbled them up- super moist inside and a little crunchy outside. They had a great time making them too! So I thought it would make a great Halloween Gift idea as Cow"ghoul" Cookies.

Whether for your good friends, your visiting teachees, or a neighbor who is always helping you out, it makes a great gift and fun for the holidays! Think of all the combos you could make- M&M's come in all colors for seasons and holidays so it could be fun gift for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentines Day etc!

I used double stick tape to adhere the label on front and instructions for baking on the back of the jar. My copy and paste feature on this computer is not working for some reason... so check out www.bakerella.com/mix-things-up for the recipe and instructions for assembling jars!

Making the Cow"ghoul" cookies!

• 1- Mix up the dry ingredients (jar contents) in a bowl
• 2- Add liquid ingredients
• 3- Use SMALL ice cream scoop to form cookies (the girls still like to take balls and roll them perfectly smooth!)
• 4-You can bake them on a cookie tray covered with parchment paper
• 5- Bake for 10 minutes and cool on wire racks
• 6- Enjoy the moist tasty goodness!
  

The jars are Quart size and can be bought at Wal-Mart or Frys. I bought 1/4 yard of fabric and it worked perfectly for 6 jars. I had tried to find black bandana western material but the polka dots still turned out cute and they were fun to put together. This would be a great project for kids to help with too!

It's a...

Girl! With all my extra ultrasounds we always cheat and find out early what we are having. And we were so excited. yay! The girlies are ecstatic. Colby still firmly believes it is going to be a boy. This was his prayer this morning, "Dear Heavenly Father, thank you that Jesus is sending us a baby. And even though it's a girl I still think it's a boy..." It was so sweet. Poor guy! (the baby is so big it's legs got cut out of the above pic!)
The ultrasound was AMAZING. It was almost 45 minutes long as they checked out every detail of the baby and all my parts to make sure everything was where it is supposed to be and as big as it is supposed to be and the placenta was adhered where it was supposed to be etc. etc. The 3D part of the ultrasound was super neat as you can see in the above pic. The baby was moving around like crazy and it's not quite 3 inches long so it was amazing that everything is already forming. The baby looked perfect. From the heart and brain to kidneys and fingers and toes. Wow. What a miracle babies are. We can't wait!

We *heart* Sarah

We are totally spoiled to have the best baby sitter ever. The kids LOVE Sarah. And she genuinely loves them too. She brought Sydney the cutest cake on her birthday... (The pics of it and Sarah and Syd were on the camera I lost though- bah! It looked just like this with BIG sprinkles! YUM!) She brought Mia an adorable shabby chic headband she had made and stationary for her birthday... And always brings fun crafts and activities and just plays, plays, plays with the kids. They can be silly around her and just be themselves... She is patient and fun and amazing with them. And if that's not enough... she is an amazing photographer at the young age of 15! She took our kids pics last night and here is a sneak peek...
I can't wait to see the rest! Her blog is http://www.naavieleighphotography.blogspot.com/. My computer is having technical difficulties so there are more pics on her blog... She is re-doing her blog so all her other photo shoots are taken down but she is extremely talented and we are blessed to have her in our lives.

Sometimes I am like BAH! Another baby!?! What are we thinking?!? I'm feeling so blah/gross... Some days are crazy enough with 3 kiddos... I don't even want to let myself think about the scares of preterm labor AND labor itself... Babies are so much work and time... and then I saw this pic last night... and was so excited to bring another little beautiful spirit into this world. We are so blessed to have 3 beautiful & talented children and have the time and means for another one... so I am just feeling extremely blessed. Can't wait to have another little dimple-cheeked angel in our little family! Babies really are such miracles. Thanks so much for all your comments and congrats! We really appreciate all your support and prayers and think we have some of the best friends and family around. Love to all!

Top 10 Clues That Things Are Changing At The Dover's

10) The Veggie Sub - A cursory review of Kim's credit card statement reveals the regular occurrence of a $4.99 charge from Subway. This happens to be the exact cost of a foot long veggie sub on whole grain wheat - hold the pickles, olives, and jalapenos. It's been four years since we've seen this particular craving.

9) Lonely Movie Nights - Kim has always subscribed to the old adage, "Early to bed, early to rise, makes you healthy, wealthy, and wise." However, under normal circumstances I can usually talk her into staying up until 10:30 on the weekends to watch the first half of a movie with me before she drifts off to sleep. But my powers of persuasion have had no effect on her for the last eight weeks. She's been retiring early and I've had my share of lonely movie nights. And for the record, that old adage has never made me anything but healthy. I'm afraid that the other two advantages tied to going to bed early may be actually be empty promises.

8) Emptying Half Filled Garbage Cans - On my most recent solo movie night I watched the new X Men Origins movie and it turns out that Wolverine's sense of smell in the movie is ALMOST as keen as Kim's has been over the last two months. This has necessitated a very thorough cleaning of a gas spill in the garage that was permeating the entire house (although I could only smell it in the kitchen.) And we have had to double our garbage emptying efforts across the board to be sure no odorous substances have more then a few minutes to mingle together in an interior garbage receptacle.

7) Cleaning Toilets - I am happily looking for things I can do to help keep Kim's nausea to a minimum. I've cleaned more toilets in the last eight weeks then I have in the last four years. True that's only like five toilets but they were cleaned in the morning at a time where Kim particularly did not want to look at a dirty toilet. Sometimes it's not what you do that matters most it's when you do it that really counts.

6) Go Big or Go Home - Kim has been going all out on projects lately. It's kind of crazy from throwing baby showers to planning the primary program she's not doing anything halfway. ........Wait, wrong list for this bullet point. I was confused with another list I'm compiling called "10 things that will never change at the Dover home." In this case I guess the more things change the more they stay the same.

5) Where's It Going to Sleep? - The children have been overheard discussing who's going to get a bunk bed or who is going to move downstairs to create a little more room.

4) Changing Requests - Sydney is no longer asking Heavenly Father to send a new little baby to our family like she has been for sometime now. Instead she's joining us in our requests to make sure the baby just doesn't come before it's supposed to!

3) A Father's Sacrifice - Unfortunately my current truck is not equipped with a bench in front so it won't seat six. I am going to have to sacrifice and take one for the team by selling my truck and getting into one that will allow for a growing family like mine. It's hard for me to think of parting with my Truck, but in the name of Family Boating and Family Ranger Riding I've reluctantly accepted the idea. It won't be easy to settle into my brand new totally redesigned Tundra once I find it. But it will help that the Tundra now has the highest towing capacity and payload in it's class and that it still drives smoother then any other Truck on the road. I'm grateful that I've been able to find these small sacrifices that I can make to better allow me to empathize with some of the sacrifices Kim also has to endure over the next few months.

2) First Things First - This just in, I've been informed that my up coming truck sacrifice is secondary in importance to finding a new family vehicle for Kim to drive. Apparently the Pilot is too hard for the kids to get in and out of on their own and not adequate for our ongoing needs. At first I was proud of Kim for being willing to make this type of sacrifice, on the level of the kind of offering I am going to have to make with my own vehicle. However, the more I've talked to her about it the more I'm thinking that she might be simply using this new and exciting development in our life as a way to get out of an older vehicle into the "latest and greatest" thing. It's been hard for me to accept that Kim's intentions might be less then pure when my own decision to look for a vehicle has been so unselfish and based completely on the "needs" of my family as opposed to my own "wants." So please keep my suspicions on the down low, I don't have any hard evidence so far - just a hunch.

1) If Momma Aint Happy, Aint Nobody Happy! - I am very grateful to be married to a strong, balanced, optimistic, and gorgeous wife. Kim knows how to remain happy and grateful regardless of the challenges that life brings. So far, babies on the way in our family have not made life easy as each one has threatened to come out early. But Kim is an example of strength, faith, and optimism despite all the uncertainties that come with this news. She has powerful faith and I have a firm belief that it is her faith that has called down the Powers of Heaven on behalf of our Kiddo's in the past. I also believe that the Lord will continue to support us as he always had in the past while we anxiously look forward to April 24th....and hope baby doesn't decide he or she prefers February 25th. Your prayers on our behalf our always appreciated, we know from past experience that they work.

Just about that time of year...

Fall! Even though it is still well over 100 degrees my kiddos have already picked out their Halloween costumes and are looking forward to some Fall weather in the 90's! I need to get all my decor up... that will be a fun project for this week if I can get motivated and inspired to pull it all out and put it up. I've been eyeing everything from decor ideas to fall sweets and had to share...

I have acorns, leaves, wheat, and candles to put in my apothecary jars. That's right, you don't always have to put candy in them! Took these pics off Pottery Barn...

This was also on Pottery Barn and I loved the mixed arrangement! And YUM! What is Fall without all the fall goodies. These were on Williams Sonoma and I thought would be yummy to make with the pumpkin muffin recipe I have with cream cheese frosting inside...
This Acorn pan off Williams Sonoma would be super cute to make the cookies with too.

AND our new tradition is to make carmeled apples for General Conference! We've got the apples and caramels and are create! Last year the kids loved making ghosts and pumpkins and all sorts of fun creations out of their apples.

I've shared this recipe before but this is definitely a fall favorite- chocolate chip pumpkin muffins! YUM!

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

*If you have pumpkin pie spice, you can use 1 T in place of the nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice
1 2/3 c flour
1 c sugar
½ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp allspice
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
2 eggs
1 c pumpkin
½ c melted butter
1 c chocolate chips

Mix together wet ingredients, then fold in mixed dry ingredients. Put in greased muffin tins and bake 20-25 minutes at 350. Makes 12 muffins.

An idea for a cute Halloween treat! My friend gave this to us last year and found the labels at the dollar store. I will share another cute gift idea soon... I would love to know your favorite fall treats, goodies, or decor ideas!!

whew!

Here's a peek into tonight... I have an AMAZING group of friends who helped pull of a FABULOUS baby shower for my dear friend who is adopting TWINS! A boy and a girl... Anyways, crazy busy... so much to pull together for it... so blessed with an incredible hubby who is willing to mop floors and clean toilets... lucky to have sweet friends who helped set up and clean up and brought food and decor etc... so exhausted though! So here's just a peek!

Twin Cherries was the theme... I LOVE Amber off Etsy- her shop is called Announcing You- she can create any invite you need at such a reasonable price... more later! (blurred out the card so you don't get my personal info, but you get the idea how cute it is!)

Someone had a birthday...

Mia- b! Wow- our little 4 pound 5 ounce baby is now a whopping 6 years old! Crazy. She is just as determined and fiesty as the day she came. ;-) We never doubt her personality played a huge role in her coming into this world 9 weeks before her scheduled due date! But we are so glad to have her in our family- she is so funny and fun and talented and spunky and smart and a great sister to Colby and Sydney. Here's how we celebrated her big day!

A few presents... including a new leotard for gymastics and a Ipod... And some fun toys from Grandma and Grandpa Hallows...

Phone calls from Grandma and Sammy and Brady and Jenny! YAY! You can see how happy that made her!Birthday pancakes by Dad!
Just about to head out to school...Getting sung not 1... not 2... but 5 Happy Birthday songs at school!

After school we hit up Target with her friends for some Icees, Popcorn, and chicken fingers! YUM!

Then it was off to gymastics... in a new leotard!Mia chose to go to dinner at Oregano's- yum! Pizza, pasta, and a big pazookie and ice cream! The kiddos love the dough they get to play with while they wait for their meal... And while we waited for the pazooki we ran off dinner through a game of tag, duck duck goose, country swing dancing, etc on a little patch of grass. What a birthay huh!?! Aunt Mindy even stopped by that night with a birthday treat and surprise which Mia was SOO excited about. Thanks to everyone for calls, cards, presents, and visits! Her Aunt Melissa gave her a tea set and skirt which she is loving too...

We do friend party's every other year and this was her big year... Bounce U is the only kind of party she wanted and it was such a blast! 24 kiddos ran around like crazy for an hour on the bounce house toys, then we had pizza and cupcakes and drinks, opened presents, and that wrapped up the party. She has SO many cute friends and had the time of her life.

Happy Birthday Beautiful!! We love you!

Chewy, Yummy, Healthy Wheat Bread!

I posted this recipe back a few months ago and wanted to share pics and my experience making it! My parents have made it for a while now and ever since they got the recipe, have never gone back to buying Great Harvest bread. Granted, they are at a stage in life where they have the time for it... but it's that yummy!It only requires 6 basic ingredients: Brown sugar (or honey), salt, water, yeast, wheat, gluten. NO OILS OR FATS!Me and the girls made it together- the loved the whole process which started with grinding the flour. This Blendtec Kitchen Mill is great... They loved grinding the wheat so much they did the entire can!The recipe is super simple- nothing complex about it. I will post it again at the bottom of this post... Add all the ingredients together, let raise, knead, and form into loaves. (Mia got wheat flour all over her shirt and decided to be the Naked (actually Topless) Chef!)The girls were so pleased with their little loaves! Even though they make a bigger mess when baking and making with me, I love doing it with them. It's a great time to talk and be together and it's such a self confidence builder- they are so proud of what they make and realize they know how to do something like bake their own loaf of bread!

Phew, she got dressed while the bread was baking- ha ha! I think they ate their whole loaf right out of the oven! Can you see the light chewy texture?!? Ok maybe not...
Top it with homemade jam and I'm back to reminiscing about coming home from school to the house smelling so warm and amazingly yummy... we loved an after school snack of my mom's homemade bread fresh out of the oven topped with her strawberry homemade jam. Yes I was a spoiled child! (Though usually the bread was white bread back then...)
Bah- don't forget there will be a mess to clean up! But it's worth it if you have the time... In fact I think I will go make some right now- yum!

100% WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

(You may want to half this recipe... It makes 4-5 big loaves! This recipe can be made in a bread mixer, but my parents just make it by hand, they like it better that way. Note: be sure to use high quality, high protein wheat flour! Entire process takes about 2 hours, with 90% of the work in the first ½ hour.)

6 c 110 degree water (just above body temperature)
6 c freshly ground wheat flour

1 c brown sugar
1 heaping T salt

2 ½ heaping T of yeast
Additional wheat flour, about 6 cups

2 heaping T gluten flour

Add water, sugar, yeast, gluten flour, and first 6 c flour to large mixing bowl. Beat to the consistency of thick pancake batter. Stop mixing and let rise to about twice the original volume. This takes about 15 minutes. Start mixing again and slowly add salt and additional flour, until bread can be kneaded. Knead 10 minutes while adding additional flour. Shape into loaves and place in lightly oiled (or sprayed) bread pans. Let rise in room temperature oven for approximately 15-20 min until loaves are partially risen (be careful not to over-rise the loaves). Set timer for 40 minutes and temperature for 325 degrees (leave bread in oven to finish rising and baking). Time will vary depending on type of oven and type of pans used. When baking is complete, remove from oven, remove from pans and immediately replace on cooling rack for 20-40 minutes. This is important or bread will be moist or too dry. Have family eat one loaf while still warm, and bag the others for later, or give away! Clean up mess, so wife/hubby will let you do the whole thing over again next week! It freezes great.

An Easy Healthy Meal...

This is as easy and yummy as it gets so I thought I would share it!

1- Spread cookie sheet with tinfoil. Wash and cut red potatoes, dump them in a ziploc with some herbs and a little olive oil. Put on cookie sheet, sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper, and bake.

2- Soak cedar plank. Rinse salmon off and place on cedar plank. Sprinkle with Spade L. Ranch Fish & Seafood Seasoning. Cook on grill for 10-15 minutes. 3- Pour pre-washed and pre-cut broccoli from Costco in a bowl. Add a tad of water, sprinkle lightly with chicken boullon granules, and microwave under tender-crisp.

Fastest and yummiest meal! You can add fruit or salad too if you want... It's kid friendly if your kiddos eat salmon- if not you can do cedar plank chicken with the Spade L Ranch Chicken Seasoning which is also yummy. My kids like dipping the potatoes in ketchup... (And yup- we eat on paper goods way too much. I really keep saying I am going to go more green and cut those out of our life, but right now it's oh so conveientent!)

There are a million gazillion easy and yummy potato recipes but this is the one I used for this meal. I have a convection oven so they bake in half the time and are so crispy on the outside and soft on the inside- YUM! I double the crushed rosemary sprinkle kosher salt and pepper on top once they are on the pan...

Rosemary Red Potatoes

from Allrecipes.com
Cook Time: 25 Minutes
Ready In: 30 Minutes
Servings: 4
"Great with steak or any meat, this is one of our best-loved potato sidekicks. Sometimes I add sliced fresh mushrooms and sliced fresh zucchini tossed with a little olive oil after the potatoes have baked about 15 minutes."
Ingredients:
1 3/4 pounds small red potatoes, quartered
1 small onion, quartered
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
Directions:
1. In a bowl (OR LIKE I RECOMMENDED A ZIPLOC), combine the potatoes, onion, oil, rosemary, garlic and garlic salt; toss to coat. Transfer to a foil-lined 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 425 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender and browned.

Hurray for Preschool!

Colby LOVES preschool. Loves Miss Kerry. Loves all his friends that go there. Is so happy to go everyday. As a mom, that is SO exciting! Such a relief. I love it! This is the first day of preschool, which was last week. Do you love Colby's outfit or what?!? I reminded him it was his first day so to put on something really nice and this is what he picked! A green hat, red Valentines shirt, and plaid orange and blue shorts. Good thing he is so cute!

He always comes home so excited and happy to tell me about his day! He has like 8 or 9 friends out of the 12 kids in his class so there is always someone to play with... Miss Kerry is an amazing teacher- with a big waiting list since everyone loves her. She really focuses on phonics and reading and writing and numbers and all that good stuff- not so artsy craftsy which is a good thing I guess since they learn so much. After school the other day Colby was especially goofy! We take turns making funny faces at each other and laughing. He always has the funniest! Can't believe he is turning 4 next month- woah!