Change is in the air, I mean, kitchen.

We have been eating (and not eating) the same 10 boring meals for the last 6 plus years. Every once in a while I will try a new recipe, but for the most part, it is the same old, same old. Lately, it has gotten worse. I don't know if is having a new baby, having less money (and therefore no more Costco runs--I loved their easy meals), or having less and less energy to do anything after cleaning up all of Luke's messes. I don't know why it has been so bad these last 6 months but something has got to change. A BIG change is needed...a revolution. Do I dare post this on the blog? Because once it is a post, I have to do it! I am going to attempt to cook. Not only cook, but try NEW meals. I'm going to call it my Revolutionary Wednesday. Maybe a bit dramatic, but it is what I need. So, here it goes, my first Revolutionary Wednesday. These will not be super awesome and crazy hard recipes--PEOPLE I need to start out small and simple, or else I will give up for sure.

In order to be more accountable (= more pressure on myself to actually do this) I will be posting these R.W. on my blog. You can skip or laugh at them as you please.

BAKED Penne pasta

1 1/2 cups multigrain penne pasta, uncooked (I used 2 cups)
1 pkg. (9oz.) fresh spinach leaves
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces (I cheated and used canned)
1 tsp. dried basil leaves
1 jar spaghetti sauce (14 1/2 oz.)
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
2 oz. Neufchatel cheese, cubed (I used cream cheese)
1 cup shredded mozzarella
2 Tbs. shredded Parmesan
*Cook pasta according to directions, adding spinach the last minute of boiling.
Cook and stir chicken and basil in skillet on stove over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Add sauce and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then turn down and simmer until chicken is done. Add Neufchatel cheese and stir.
Drain pasta and spinach and add to chicken mixture. Add half of mozzarella and stir. Pour into a casserole dish. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes and then sprinkle with the rest of cheeses and bake 5 more minutes.

Kyle and I really enjoyed this dish...I did not even ATTEMPT to get my kids to eat this. I didn't want to ruin the whole dinner experience. BUT, I do think they will like it and eat it after I force it down their throats, NEXT time:) (Things I would change--add fresh basil (in addition to the dry basil too though)--a little more cream cheese--and maybe a little bit of garlic salt.)

In other news...or really just in other pictures--

Ruby's head. Is a head we really like to pet.

Ruby has a new friend named BUMBO!

Luke tried it out too.She is almost ready for it, here, she is saying, "Stop it, I'm hungry!" and I'm saying..."just sit there and look cute, you have such a cute outfit on, I need to document it." She eventually convinced me to feed her. Such a cute sweater from grandma though.

We went to the Draper Temple Open House. Way to windy and cold to get a picture outside in front of the temple so we just settled for the ones inside. Isaac and Luke did AMAZING! We kept having people stop us and tell us how great they were doing (little kids all around us were melting down). It was tough and although they started to run out of gas towards the end (Luke decided to go limp in our arms--he really knows how to draw a crowd, people sure thought he was funny). It wasn't very funny to us however, just made it hard for us to carry him all bent over in the middle--he is really REALLY good at going limp. He is really good at screaming and running too, so I counted my blessings that he decided not to show off that talent.

Of course, Ruby was great.

adorable dress from my sister Jenny...it is her Easter dress (thanks aunt Jenny!)

After we made it through I praised them a million times for being so reverent and then they took that as their cue to act their old LOUD goofy selves. They had a blast waiting for the red bus and then Isaac had an even greater time standing up in the bus "surfing" (he only knocked into a few people a couple of times during some sudden stops).

Ruby is so glad with daddy comes home!

I LOVE this little Kanga pouch--Thanks Poppy a million times! I really thought I would like it about the same as the Bjorn but I love it even more. Ruby loves it too!Last weekend we went to my uncle's surprise b-day party. It was a ton of fun! I didn't get any pics of the guest of honor, but I got a few of the family.

I thought my "uncle" Larry and I got along just great so when I greeted him, I gave him a great BIG hug. After the hug I thought to myself, wow, that was strange, Larry is usually such a big fan of hugs and that hug felt like I hugged a complete stranger. Maybe he doesn't like me anymore?
Well, it turns out, uncle Larry has an identical twin I've never met before(far right). I guess I really was hugging a stranger.
me and my beautiful GrandmaRuby met her cute 2nd cousin Van.
Great Uncle Winston, wife and daughter

Luke tried to entertain aunt Jill and Cedric all night.me and my younger brother Brian

lots of other great relatives joined in the festivities...too many pictures to post.