This past week we have been featuring international cuisine at our family meals. I have to admit this idea started somewhat selfishly--Dave and I were at our FAVORITE sushi restaurant and noticed that on Mondays sushi was half price. I had to come up with some excuse to eat sushi on a Monday night. Then the idea came to me--invite our cute friends, who's husband had lived in Japan for 3 years and also served a 2 year mission for our church in Japan, over for sushi. Then our friend could teach us about Japan for Family Home Evening. As I planned the rest of the menu for the week, I notice that Tuesday was Cinco de Mayo, and for as long as I can remember, I have fixed Mexican food that night. Well then then the brilliant idea came to me...let's have an international week. So, we have been featuring food from a different county each night this week.
Monday was Japan--Sushi and teriyaki chicken
Tuesday was Mexican--Fajitas, chips and white queso, and homemade guacamole--yum!!
Wednesday was American--hot dogs (it was one of those nights--we only had a few minutes to gulp down dinner--it had to be fast and easy)
Thursday was Italian--homemade pizza AND homemade focaccia bread--delicious
Friday is Chinese--Lemon Chicken and rice--Allie has been begging me to make this for a while
The best part of the week has been the way the family has really enjoyed meals. All the kids tried the sushi, some liked it more than others. On Mexican night, McKay asked if I could make this meal every week--not like I haven't made fajitas tons of times before, but for some reason this time, he LOVED them. When we had our Italian night, the kids all agreed that my homemade focaccia bread was better than store bought! I'll have to let you know how Chinese night works out.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
The perfect ending...
What a fabulous ending to a great spring break--Easter Sunday!!! Easter is such a wonderful holiday, I love the reason we celebrate. I am grateful to have a Savior who loves us so much, he was willing to die for us. I am also grateful that we too can be resurrected and live again just as He did.
Easter was a beautiful day, the sun was shinning, a nice break for us from the horrible weather we had been having. Grandma and Grandpa were with us (it has been a years since we have been able to spend Easter with them). We did our co-ordinating outfits--we just forgot to get a picture of the whole family--just the kids
. I think it would be safe to say, we all had a great day!!
. I think it would be safe to say, we all had a great day!!Wednesday, April 15, 2009
What is it with us and Tornadoes!!
You would think we would have learned our lesson--given up--thrown in the towel--and yet, we still keep trying.
One of the best parts of getting to the top, is the giant swinging bridge. It especially fun when you start jumping up and down and get the bridge really swinging.
After a quick picnic lunch we were off to learn all about civil war history in Chattanooga. 
Our last stop of the day, was the Station House for dinner at the Chattanooga Choo Choo. What an experience--you can't go to Chattanooga without a visit to the Choo Choo. Here the staff, not only serve your food, but they are also the entertainment. We had Elvis as our waiter--kind of fitting for Tennessee don't you think.
Grandma and Grandpa L. were able to come and spend spring break with us, and not wanting them to get too bored while here, we tried yet again to visit Tennessee. Now, you must understand that the last two times we have been to Tennessee, we have come home early--not due to sickness, family emergencies, etc. BUT because of Tornadoes!!!
We started our lovely trip in the always charming Chattanooga TN. Our first stop (it really was our first stop, we didn't even have to make a potty stop on the way up --that is a miracle in and of itself) was Rock City. Rock City sits atop Lookout Mountain. Here you wind your way along the path, coming acr
oss some pretty cool rock formations. 
oss some pretty cool rock formations. 
Once you reach the top of Rock city, you have an awesome view of the valley below, you are actually able to see seven different states from the top of Rock City ( Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Virginia, and Kentucky.
One of the best parts of getting to the top, is the giant swinging bridge. It especially fun when you start jumping up and down and get the bridge really swinging. After a quick picnic lunch we were off to learn all about civil war history in Chattanooga. Our last stop of the day, was the Station House for dinner at the Chattanooga Choo Choo. What an experience--you can't go to Chattanooga without a visit to the Choo Choo. Here the staff, not only serve your food, but they are also the entertainment. We had Elvis as our waiter--kind of fitting for Tennessee don't you think.(hang in there--we'll get to the tornadoes)
Our next stop--Nashville, home of country music. You can't go to Nashville without a visit to the Opry Land hotel. The hotel is massive. It is full of beautiful botanical gardens, Allie loved learning from Grandma about all the beautiful plants.
No visit to Nashville would be complete without a trip to the Parthenon--Yes Nashville has a full size replica of the Parthenon (built for TN's 1894 Centennial Celebration--and restored several times over the past 100 years)
After having been to the "real" Parthenon in Greece this past September, Dave and I were curious to see how it compared. I have to say it was pretty impressive--in fact, I think we learned more about the Parthenon while in Tennessee than in Greece!
Now for the GOOD PART!!--We knew there was a chance of showers the last day of our trip. However, we had planned things that could be done if it rained. WELL, as the night progressed, and we watched the weather forecast, we learned the storms coming in weren't just rain storm, but severe storms with tornadoes. The next morning, we cancelled our plans in Nashville, and headed back to Cha
ttanooga, and a visit to the aquarium . While in the aquarium, it rained, but as we were leaving, it appear
ed the storms had passed, and we were driving home with beautiful blue skies. We didn't have drive for too long, before we realized, we were heading right for the severe storms. We drove through, what I would say was the worst rain storm I have even driven in. You could hardly see the car in front of you, everyone was just crawling along slowly on the roads. As the rains the let up a bit, the wind started. We were finally able to get a weather report on the radio and learned that a tornado had reportedly touched down at the intersection by our home. Okay, if the rain and the wind were not stressful enough, how about hearing a tornado touched down right by your home! We got home a fast as we could considering the weather and the GPS--I wanted to close my eyes and we entered our neighborhood--I was sure we were heading right into a disaster zone! As we pulled into our subdivision, everything looked normal, no trees or power lines down. I was grateful to be home, and to find our home in one piece.
Here's the thing, it would be fine, if had to leave a vacation in Tennessee once because of severe storms, but this is the THIRD time we have been to Tennessee, when we have been in severe weather. We may have to think twice about another visit!!
Here are a more of my favorite pictures from the trip--enjoy
Friday, March 27, 2009
Warm and Sunny Florida
Yes, you did hear right--All of you who are still dealing with snow and cold weather (and it's supposed to be spring)--we just returned from a great vacation in Florida. The kids had one of those weird weeks of school (two half days and one full day off) and Dave had a trade show to attend in Jacksonville (Florida), so what could have better than the whole family (and Grandma R) and spend the week in Florida.
Our first stop was Orlando. We spent the first couple of days at Universal Studios. We have never been to Universal Studios. It is a great park, especially for the older kids. Some of the their roller coasters were awesome!! We loved the Hulk coaster, Dueling Dragons coaster, and the Mummy roller coaster. We picked a great time to go, the park wasn't very crowded (especially the 2nd day) and we didn't have to wait in too many lines. By the end of the 2nd day we were tired, a few had headaches, but had had a great time!
Our next stop was Jacksonville. We stayed in a gorgeous hotel right on the St. Johns river (one of the perks of Dave's job).
We took a walk along the St. John's river. I am still amazed at the enormity or the rivers here in the East.
Our next stop was St. Augustine Florida--which happens to be the oldest city in the US. But, before we could do all the "historical stuff"--we knew we had to spend some serious time at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm. Really, when are we ever going have another opportunity to be up close and personal with alligators and crocodiles....It was actually quite interesting and we are even season pass holder now--so if you want to get to know some of these reptiles--we can hook you up.
Don't worry, we didn't forget about the beach! The weather was okay--it wasn't great--but alas, we had to go to the beach!! It was a red flag day for swimming, so we told the kids they could "wade" in the water--and because they were only going to wade in the water, we were not going to worry about the extra clothes for the girls we left in the hotel room. It didn't take long to see that we should have worried about the extra clothes...
Finally, we got the "historical stuff"--thank heavens for the GPS--the streets in St. Augustine were insane. The roads in "America's oldest city" were so narrow (most one way) and short it was quite an experience to drive there. Our final stop was Castillo de San Marcos--built by Spain in 1672--the oldest fort in America--it may have been the first as well. Unfortunately we got there too late to take a tour of the inside (thanks to the scenic drive we took to get to St. Augustine), so we just enjoyed the outside and the grounds of the fort
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
And...We're back
Okay, so I have taken a vacation from blogging for a bit. I really have a good excuse--but I won't bore you with the details. Instead I'll catch you up on the latest with the Rawlings' Family
1. Jenson turned 13!!!! AHHHHHH---I think I am in denial--there is no way I am old enough to have a teenager. Now Dave on the other hand, is definitely old enough and mature and enough to have and to deal with a teenager. But seriously, we LOVE Jenson. He has the same infectious smile he had when he was a baby, he loves to get a good political conversation going, he still loves to be "in the know", he is very self driven, and he will be able to accomplish ANYTHING he puts his mind to. He has been such a fun kid to raise these past 13 years, I really am looking forward to the next 13 and beyond!!!
2. McKay lost his first tooth. He was very determined to have his Dad pull his tooth out one evening--he was very brave. The funniest part was Sadie ran away from the "action" saying "I can't watch--it's too scary!" This from the girl who lost her first tooth just a few weeks before.
3. McKay and Sadie turned 6--this was almost harder than Jenson turning 13. My babies are six years old. I think what made this birthday so hard, is that in six more years we will be sending Jenson off on his mission, Allie off to college, and McKay and Sadie will be entering the Young Mens' and Young Womens' programs.
Anyway, they had a great birthday. McKay got a new game for the wii, which has now become the family favorite, he also got a Georgia football Jersey--which I think he wore for a week straight. Dave took the boys (Jenson and McKay) an Atlanta Hawks game--which he also loved--too bad the Hawks got skunked that night.
Sadie got her American Girl doll (the knock-off version) and some accessories for the doll. Allie was so sweet and made (with very little help from mom) pajamas for Sadie's new doll. I (mom)made matching pajamas for Sadie. She was so sweet, she said, the PJ's were the best gift she has ever had--I loved that something so simple as home-made PJ's made her day. Dave took the girls (Allie and Sadie) to the father/daughter dance at the school. They loved their date with Dad.
4. Father-Daughter Dance. The dance was on the evening of Sadie's birthday. This is what she wanted to do for her birthday. I loved all the prep work, shopping for the dresses, getting the nails done, fixing the hair. I think the girls looked absolutely beautiful that night, and their date didn't look half bad either!!
5. Allie's basketball season. This year Allie decided to play basketball and not do cheerleading. This was a big step for her--her previous experience with organized sports was her sitting in the field picking blades of grass while the other children actually played t-ball. She was wonderful. She is feisty--and was awesome on defense! As the season progressed, she got better and better. By the end of the season, she was a old pro.
Well, now you are caught up--say tuned
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Christmas outfits
One of our favorite Christmas traditions is wearing our co-ordinating outfits on the Sunday prior to Christmas. I would have thought as the kids get older, they wouldn't be so amenable. But when I asked the the kids what family traditions they want to carry on with their own families--one was Christmas outfits.
Sadie with her "twirly" dress--she looked like a princess
McKay our handsome little "devil"--love the shoes un-tied
Allie our beautiful "tween"--Full of life
Jenson--can you believe how grown-up he looks?--what a guy
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
First Visit from the Tooth Fairy
December 1st, it was a memorable day at the Rawlings house. Our Baby lost her first tooth. She was very brave--Her tooth had been loose for a while, but she was hesitant to wiggle it. We noticed her permanent tooth had already made its appearance behind the baby tooth. Jenson, convinced Sadie she would have crooked teeth if her baby tooth did not come out soon. I guess that is all it took to convince Sadie to have her tooth pulled. After her shower, she bravely let Dad use the needle nose pliers--and after a couple of tries--it was out.
I nearly started to cry, my baby had lost her first tooth. There is only one first tooth to loose--how was is possible for my baby to be old enough to loose a tooth. Before you now it, we'll be paying for braces.
Apparently, last year her Pre K teacher told her students, that if you leave a glass of water by you bed, the tooth fairy would dip her wings into the water and you will know what color of wings the fairy has. Well, our tooth fairy had pink wings--Sadie's favorite color--can you believe it?
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