Zucchini Bread

I of course haven't blogged in about 9 months and so much has happen but tonight I want to blog about my zucchini recipes.  It isn't mine actually it is one my Mom and Dad used to make back in the day when I was a little kiddo.  It is so delicious.  I make it every year when someone gives me the required humongous zucchini.  Without further ado:
Zucchini Bread:


 



list of ingredient's:
3 eggs
1 cup salad oil (i used canola)
2 cups c&h dark brown sugar, packed
2cups grated, raw unpeeled zucchini 
1 Tbs pure vanilla (I had imitation on had and flavor was still fabulous)
1 cup chopped nuts (I leave out due to allergies)
3 cups all purpose flour
1tsp each salt and baking soda

Beat eggs: add oil, sugar & zucchini, mix well.  Stir in the flour, salt & soda.  Fold in vanilla and nuts(if using)  Pour into 2 greased and floured loaf pans (9x5x3in).  Bake in 350 oven one hr.  Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes then remove from pans onto cooling rack.

I like to add about a cup of chocolate chips to the batter
I personally think this is the best one I have ever had but if you have a better one please feel free to share and I will try it out.

Christmas 2012

We had a nice, quite Christmas this year.  The boys were up at 7am and went out to see what Santa had brought.  They made out pretty well.  After that Connor passed out presents and they went to town.  They loved all their gifts.  Connor got a CSI kit and he played with it for quit a while.  He was really into looking at all the fun stuff and trying to figure out what they did.  They also both got an X-box game that they played for most of the day.  After presents we did our cinnamon rolls and sang "Happy Birthday" to Jesus.  It is something we started when Connor was really young and have done it ever since.  Both boys love doing it and look forward to it.    Since it was just the 4 of us I threw a beef stew in the crock pot and we had that for dinner.  At about 8pm I really wanted some pie but I hadn't gotten any so we bundled up and headed over to Shari's for some pie.  It was fun and I think we have started a yearly tradition.  This year was quite and very laid back and I loved it!!  Here are some pics of the day.  Hope you all had a very blessed Christmas also.

Very late update

So, it has been one year since I posted and so much has happened.  First, things are going well for us.  We are keeping busy.  Ryan started Kindergarten and Connor is now in 5th grade.  Both are doing well in school, however, Ryan got an amazing conference.  His teacher said they loved having Ryan in class and he was always friendly and does whatever is asked of him.  We were bursting with pride I will tell you that.  Connor is doing well, he could be doing better but I see improvements since his conference. 

boys on the 1st day of school. 

 

 

 

 

In April Connor turned 10!  I can hardly believe he is 10, it seems like yesterday I was just finding out we were pregnant.  He has really been into polar bears so I had a friend make a polar bear cake.  We took him and a couple of his friends to Chuck E. Cheese.  We also did a family dinner at Pizza Hut, his favorite place. 

On Easter we went to church and I made dinner.  We had my mom and my in-laws over.  It was a nice, quite day.

In July/August both boys took swim lesson.  This was the first year Ryan had taken lessons and he did so well and loved it. 

No fear Ryan.  He loved jumping into the pool.

 In August we took a 4 day trip over to Seattle.  We had a good time.  The boys loved the swim pool in the hotel. The zoo was a fun stop also!

we stopped in Snoqualmie Falls on the way over to Seattle

Connor's favorite - The polar bears

Ryan loved riding the camel

lunch at the zoo, boys being silly

Ryan loved the monkeys!

In August Ryan turned 5.  I know I said this about Connor but I can't believe he is 5.  The difference between the both is I have really tried to stop and enjoy all of Ryan's phases and not wish he would hurry onto the next one.  He wanted to have a dinosaur theme party so the friend who made Connor's cake made him a dinosuar cake.  We had the party with several of his friends at a jumpy castle place.  He loved it and had so much fun. 

Connor and his friend Kathrine.

Ryan and all his friends.

Mr. cutie with his cake.  He loved it!

present time

Granma and Papa got him a new bike.

In September, Shannon and I celebrated our 20th anniversary.  We were able to get out of town for the night.  We headed over to Sandpoint, Idaho and stayed at this amazing Bed and Breakfast. 

This the bed and breakfast place we stayed.  We had the whole bottom floor to ourselves!!!

 We took the boys trick or treating and the weather was so mild.  We went to a big neighborhood and walked around for about an hour.  The boys had full pumpkins.  Connor dressed up as a ninja and Ryan went as the black spiderman.

ninja and black spiderman

he went as "regular" spiderman for his class party

Connor at his class party

our pumpkins.

September/October Ryan played Upward Flag Football and he loved it!!!  We had so much fun watching him and the weather was so warm up until the last couple weeks.  It was so cold!!  He can't wait till next year to play again.

going thru the tunnel before a game.

sitting on bench watching his teammates play.

We went to watch our first High School football game.  Very cold but fun.

The weekend of Thanksgiving we decorated the house.  The boys love to help put up the tree.

So that pretty much wraps it up.  I am trying to keep busy now that both boys are at school all day.  Shannon is still making movies when they are filming.  He has been doing some Holiday work for Fedex and we are praying it works into a full time job after the Holidays. 
I will try to be better about blogging so you all can see how quickly the boys are growing. 

Christmas 2011

Wow, is Christmas over already!? We had a really nice day. Christmas eve we went to church and sang songs and remembered what we celebrate this time of year. Ryan took a little nap. Who wouldn't, it was dark with wonderful music. I would have! Christmas morning came with snow on the ground. The boys got up around 8 and they went to town opening their gifts and seeing what Santa had brought. After presents we sand Happy Birthday to Jesus and had cinnamon rolls. Then we hung out and listened to Christmas music and the boys played with their new toys. Denise and her family came over and we had ham and all the yummy fixings. The day ended with a viewing of A Christmas Story (my favorite Holiday movie). It was a nice relaxing day.
Have to mention what Connor did: I had gotten up at 6am to get a drink of water and noticed the presents where in neat little piles separated by names and the boys stocking where missing. I found the Connor's stocking in contents in his bed opened and Ryan's contents layed out on his bed. Connor had also opened 2 presents. It was pretty funny. I put everything back under the tree and re-stuffed the stockings and hung them over the fireplace. It was no wonder he wasn't up before 7am, he had been up in the middle of the night having fun with presents!! He is to funny.
We have now plans of right now for New Year's Eve. Probably just hang out with the boys. Maybe go see a movie and out to dinner. We hope you all had a very blessed Christmas and may you have a very wonderful New Year!
Here are some pics of the boys:

A lot has happened!

It has been a while since I posted last. For awhile I couldn't find my card reader to upload photos then when I found it, it didn't work. We bought a new one. This post is going to just be some photos and an update of what is been going on. August we had Ryan's 4th Birthday. We had a lot of fun. He invited his friends and we played pin the tail on Perry and we did an obstacal course. Ryan opened presents and we had yummy cake. I can't even believe Ryan is 4! In September Connor started 4th grade! I really like his teacher this year. I talk with her at least once a week. Connor is doing really well. I am very proud of him. On the 19th of September, Shannon and I celebrated our 19th anniversary. October was Halloween and the boys went trick-or-treating. Ryan went as picachu and Connor was Luigi. They did pretty well. For Thanksgiving we went to Denise's in-laws for dinner. It was nice and loud. There were about 30 people there. The kids had fun. We just decorated our tree the other day. I am just about ready for Christmas. I need to get a few more presents and get them wrapped then I am done. I plan to just take it easy and enjoy the reason for season. I want to try to start some fun things to help the boys understand that Christmas just isn't about Santa and presents. We celebrate something much more important and that is the birth of Jesus! We have been busy and trying to keep up with two very busy boys. Here are some pics of what has been going on with us.

Happy 4th Birthday Ryan!

On August 28, 2007 @ 12:34pm Ryan Cooper Freeman entered our world weighing in @ 6lbs 10oz and 171/2 inches long. He was so tiny and sweet. Right from the begging he was so quiet and easy. We couldn't believe that we now had 2 sweet boys that God had blessed us with.

Right after Ryan was born.

Ryan you are such and awesome boy. You are easy and will try and do everything. You totally look up to your big brother and want to do everything he does. You have such a sweet and loving personality. I just adore you and love you so much. You have blessed my life in so many ways. I can't believe you are 4 today, where has the time gone. We love you so much!!!
Happy Birthday! to our little monkey man!!

My little fish!

4th grader

We now have a 4th grader in our house. I can not believe Connor is going to be in the 4th grade. Weren't we just bringing him home from the hospital?! He sure has changed this year.

First day of 3rd grade

Last day of 3rd grade. Now a 4th grader!!

And of course we can't leave out Ryan: