Brad has been traveling some more and we love to cook.

When we got home from St. George we had about a day and a half with Brad and then he flew out to Maryland for the week.  His company likes to kick off the new year with a week long meeting.  It's really not my favorite part of the new year!

So my Grandma Stone came over a couple of nights and had dinner with us and then helped me get the kids in bed.  One night my mom came over.  One night we went over to my Grandma Bushman's house for dinner.  And one of our favorite nights was the night that we went out to dinner with some of our really good friends (who's Dad was also gone that night)!

Brad spent his days and nights at meetings, dinners, awards banquets, and the last night during the hour and a half reception (drinking and socializing) before dinner he and some if his coworkers went to an arcade.

We missed Brad a lot.  When he got home Saturday afternoon the kids were standing by the window watching for him.  When they saw him they started waving to him and screaming, "Daddy home! Daddy home!".  He walked through the door and I walked out the door.  I went to get a much needed massage and a pedicure!

As you know I have been making everything from scratch lately and so cooking has become one of the activities that we (Aleah, Cade, and I) do together.  This is a common scene at our house, chairs pulled up to the counter or stove with two cute kids taking turns helping me cook.

They are getting so good now that sometimes I feel like I supervise more than I cook!

Last night we were making spaghetti squash.  I was trying my hardest to cut the spaghetti squash in half (if you know any tricks, please share them with me).  As I was obviously not succeeding Aleah said to me, "Mom, I think this is a job for Dad.  You are not very good at this.  This is a job for Dad.".  Haha, she is right, I was not very good at that job, but eventually I did manage to do it.

As we were scooping out the guts of the spaghetti squash Aleah said, "Are you trying to do it Mom?" and I said, "Yes, I am trying.  Are you trying?".  To which she replied, "No, I'm doing it!".

I love my little helpers!  We have a lot of fun cooking all the yummy meals that we eat around here!