Life at the Russell's

Country Sunday!

2012-01-29T14:34:00.000-08:00

Hello all! I just returned home from a 3 day stay at Kansas City, for an oral sedation course at UMKC. It was very interesting and i learned a ton. Ready to take that new knowledge back to the office with me! Anyway, I missed my family a ton while i was gone so when i got back, my husband treated me to a day of back roads and mudding. I shot a few pics along the way ( ALWAYS have my camera :)) Enjoy....I know we did.

Getting ready to head out on our country trip!

This picture is of Jake and the kids romping through the creek.

Amazing!

My love.

Ethan insisted in splashing through the water....in January.

My handsome country boy!

The creek :) Very first place Jake ever took me.... almost 8 years ago when I was sixteen! Geez, im old!

It blurred a bit as it took off.... still like the photo a lot though.

Making memories I will never forget :)

2012-01-22T17:59:00.000-08:00

The husband and I are always on the go. We both work full time, and have the kids, and have hobbies that keep us going at all times. Occasionally when i stop long enough to catch my breath, I will glance across the living room through the pile of my decorative throw pillows that my children are now using as weapons, across the clean laundry that is being launched across the room and see my handsome husband just sitting calmly in the chaos. It is then that I realize, when was the last time we spent some quality time together?? We have three sets of in-laws that come over in shifts that end up being company EVERY weekend and two kids at all times. If we arent entertaining guests we are trying to squeeze in our hobbies while juggling two kids and although we do all this together.... and our "love life" is great ... its not the same as spending quality time together. SO with all that said, we decided that this weekend was going to be a specail weekend where we didnt have any guests ( and unfortunately we did have to tell some grand-parents NO... which i hated) and we were not going to go anywhere. Just us, at home, together. IT. WAS. AMAZING. We spent one whole day watching movies, and playing some games, and just being together. I got up and made a huge breakfast, later made a delicious crock pot dip, and even made my first ever batch of homemade cinnamon rolls. They were all a success! I was pretty happy :) Today we used our last day to play outside with the boys, and do some minor work around the house. I got to take time to reflect on what makes me truly happy.... and as always it was my family. Its the little things like taking time to realize that my one year old waving bye bye is more memorable to me than my graduation, its seeing how smart and silly my four year old is and realizing exactly who he acts like ( momma) and its coming to the realization that my husband's new grey hairs and the way the corner of his eyes crinkle up when he smiles at me is the best damn thing I have ever seen. Such an amazing weekend without one penny spent. I managed to snap some great pictures this weekend as well...Below are a few! Hope everyone has an amazing week, and spends some time with those they love! XoXo.

I try to fancy up for just sitting at home..... sometimes! My husband likes me better in a ponytail and t-shirt though!

My first cinnamon rolls! They look a bit messy.... but they were DELISH!

Jake and Jax! We played with the boys a lot today!

Jax loves his bounce house that is full of balls.... that is one in his hand. As soon as we get in the basement he is running for those balls! He is such a cutie! Looks just like his daddy!

Our amazingly handsome little four year old, Mr. Ethan :)

He is a daddy's boy!

Ethan and daddy! Our basement wall made for a nice back drop for all these pics!

Telling silly stories!

Ethan resting his hands on Dad's. LOVE this.

This is the pony tail, lazy day. I got more "your beautiful" comments from Jake on this day then the day I got all dressed up and did my hair! He is a silly man. :D

Such a goob.

Nature shots....

2012-01-12T18:02:00.000-08:00

I have been LOVING this weather because it has enabled me to use my new camera and capture some amazing moments. Here is a few shots that needed no posing, no " say cheese"..... just nature. Beautiful.

This is one of my favorite pictures I have ever taken. Heard a sound from my back patio... It was squirrel chewing! Zoomed in and got a wonderful shot.

Our very old, and ugly walnut tree. I just love the blue sky.

I pulled over on the way home from work to snap this shot..... breath taking sunset.

Across from our house was the prettiest sky a few nights ago, had pinks and violets that made me wish it was a wall color in my beige house.

Gorgeous.

2012-01-12T17:49:00.000-08:00

We had my in laws over this past weekend for a BBQ ( the weather was exceptional for January, 60's) and I decided I wanted to make a dip to hold us over while the main dishes were cooked. A dip is always a good choice, its easy to make and usually everyone likes chips and dips..... Not like my more risky, but my husbands fav, stuffed mushrooms. Not everyone likes stuff like that. Anyway, I LOVE dips and snack foods almost more than meals..... probably not the healthiest but I just avoid the scale and try to jog down the driveway when i check the mail :) The dip I decided to make I found online titled "Crack Dip" and what sold me was the fact that there was only three ingredients. Cream cheese, ground sausage, and mild rotel. THATS IT! It was a huge hit and so so easy to make. Enjoy!

You first want to cube up two 8 oz packages of cream cheese. Next, place them in your crock pot.

While your cream cheese is melting in the slow cooker, cook your ground sausage. I used Mild because my husband has a sensitive stomach, and I hate hot stuff. BUT, you can pick whatever you prefer.

You also need two cans of Rotel ( again I used MILD, but you can pick any) Once you brown the sausage you will add it into the crock pot, add both can rotel and stir until mixed well and let sit on low for an additional ten minutes.

THATS IT! So easy and it was delicious... used white tortilla chips but would have also been great with crackers or fritos. Cant go wrong.

My first photography job!

2012-01-01T15:45:00.000-08:00

I got to use my camera on my first photography saturday morning on the most beautiful model in the world.... my momma! She is amazing, and makes any pose look great. Here are a few of the wonderful pics I got of her. If you or anyone you know needs some pictures done..... LET ME KNOW :)

Ringing in the new year with the ones we love! :)

2012-01-01T15:38:00.000-08:00

Jax and Daddy having a great time! My husband is the most hands on dad. Ever.

Our new years eve was pretty laid back and spent outside playing with our boys and visiting with family. Sure, a few jello shots got consumed by the grown ups.... but other than that, it was very kid friendly and just how Jake and I wanted it. Jake's aunt and cousin were over from Florida and his parents as well. Pretty perfect day with weather reaching almost 60 degrees! Amazing, and we took full advantage :)

I look pretty rough here, it was windy and I was busy getting the house prepared all day... but Jake looks handsome as always.

My three favorite people.

LOVE LOVE LOVE.

My amazing mother in law!

King of the grill :)

Impressive air!

Photography, and the joy it can bring!

2011-12-26T14:43:00.000-08:00

I am a HUGE fan of photography. I love a great picture.... not necesarilly one of those posed, everyone is smiling sort of pictures but a beautiful, raw, real picture that captures a special moment. I want to start a side job of taking pictures for people locally. Senior pictures, family pictures, couples, pets or whatever they want. I also love shooting nature shots and making a collage of someone's property can be a great gift ( esp for older people) I really want to bring joy to people by capturing there special moments so they can look back on them for years to come :) Below are a few shots I have taken since Jake bought me my new camera!

Have you been naughty or nice this year??

2011-12-24T20:55:00.000-08:00

Since Christmas day is so jammed packed for us this year with two different sets of parents to go see, Jake and I did our gift opening a bit early. Plus, once i finished up all his shopping.... I was far too excited to wait another week. My husband is a major craftsman fan.... he LOVES craftsman mowers and we actually have two, one of which he has "pimped" out and it is probably the coolest mower i have ever seen. Has a snow plow and a lot of extras like that. So with that in mind I bought almost all his stuff from sears and if it was red and black and said "craftsman" I was going to try and get it. It is always nice when the person you are buying for is into a certian brand, it makes your shopping so much easier! My lovely man got me some AWESOME stuff as well. He got me an amazing camera that i have been dying to have, and a ton of other goodies. Im a lucky lady! Hope everyone was good this year and got exactly what they wanted! Merry Christmas :)

Here are the gifts that i decided not to wrap..... I like the WOW factor of them all just sitting out :)

Jake is in tool heaven in this picture.....

Present time! We actually had several other gifts we opened waaaay early. The first of November I ordered him some wheels that he wanted for his tractor from the sears website, and assumed they would come in a semi descreat box... wrong. It said right on the side what they were and Jake happened to be the person who got the box so he got to have them early. Also his craftsman shop vac was opened early as well due to our kitchen floor getting soaked :) I got to open my camera early, and Im SO GLAD! I got to take a lot of these pics with it! Love it.

Jake's mowers.... If given the situation where Jake had to choose between his lawn tractors being sold or his children.... He would ultimately choose our kids,but he would definately think about it awhile :)

Jake and I this Christmas season! I sure do like him.

Holiday Baking!

2011-12-24T20:18:00.000-08:00

Here are the ingredients I used, I just bought a cheap cake mix... its just as good!

You bake the cake according to the box directions. Then you poke holes throughout.

Next, you will pour a can of sweetened condensed milk over cake and into holes.

Next, drizzle a light layer of the caramel ice cream topping. Then refridgerate for one hour.

Pull from fridge and put 8oz of cool whip over top. YUM!

Lastly you sprinkle crushed up heath bars ( 4) across cake, and top with a light drizzle of caramel. Keep in fridge or serve immediately!

Happy Holidays! I simply LOVE christmas time, and pretty well the whole month of December. It is my birthday month and so of course its a pretty good time of year in my opinion. One of my favorite things about the holidays is baking a yummy treat to take to our family gatherings.... that and the decorating, I get really into the decorating. And thanks to Pinterest my baking and decorating hobby has gotten PHENOMINAL!!!!! Jake and I have been to 3 total family events so far and my biggest hit so far has been my "better than sex cake". Everyone gobbled it up! Below is a how to and some pics! Enjoy!

2011-12-16T17:36:00.000-08:00

All my friends have a blog.... Well the trendy ones anyhow, and I always thought it would be fun to answer "yes" the next time someone with a tool belt of smart phones and gadgets asked me if I " blogged". So here goes, I will blog my little heart out and make sure to post some pics along the way. Coming from a wife and mother of a family who has TWO lawn mowers and a lifted Chevy blazer as their prized possessions..... This should be interesting :)