Baby

Olive Garden at home

Have you guys tried Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana Soup?? I love it and was craving it like crazy last night. SO, I looked online, found a knock off recipe and I thought I'd try it. It taste almost the same as the real stuff!! You'll have to try it yourself, cuz ours is almost gone:)

Zuppa Toscana Soup (like Olive Garden's)

1 lb. Italian sausage - crumbled (I actually only used 1/2 lb. and liked it better)

1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

about 4 slices bacon

1 qt. water

(2) 14.5 oz. cans (about 3 2/3 cups) chicken broth

about 5 russet potatoes - sliced

2 garlic cloves - crushed

1 med. onion - chopped

2 cups chopped kale (I had Tyson stop by the store to get this on his way home - he was like, "you want WHAT? What is that some kind of sea weed?") haha (I also just used the whole bunch)

1 cup heavy whipping cream (I actually just used one can of evaporated milk so I could feel better about eating it!)

salt and pepper - to taste

-In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown sausage, breaking into small pieces as you fry it; drain, set aside.

-In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown bacon; drain, chop and set aside.

-Place water, broth, potatoes, garlic, and onion in a pot; simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender.

-Add sausage and bacon to pot; simmer for 10 minutes.

-Add kale and cream to pot; season with salt and pepper; heat through.

My first project...

with my new Silhouette Machine!!!


I was trying to copy this. I wish I had only used white ribbon, but other than that I think it turned out pretty cute. It looks way better in person though - these pictures make it look kind of weird. But Brenna loves it and points to it every time she goes into her room. That's all that matters right?? :)

Happy New Year!

We had a little New Year's Eve party at our house with Tyson's family, my brother Jesse and my sister Heidi and her clan. We stayed up for the event but man were we all tired!! Must be getting old:)


This is one of her new favorite spots. And her new favorite thing to do is walk around the house with her baby and a blanket (usually the blanket is the kitchen towel she likes to steal).

Brenna and Kahlan

the (non-alcoholic) goods:)

Nice Tyson, nice

Happy New Year!!

We have a little BUNNY!

Nelson Christmas

After Serena's house, we took off to join Tyson's family at his parents. We got to eat our 2nd Christmas dinner (less than three hours after the 1st one). Good thing I'm pregnant cuz I didn't have to suck in - we were SO full!

She LOVES this stroller, but she gets so frustrated with it because she doesn't know how to turn it yet - she has quite the little temper! She'll give her toys rides all day long with it - I even saw her giving a celery stick a ride the other day!

oh boy, the bug is TIRED...


We've gotta go! Hope you all had a great Christmas!!

Danielson Christmas

We had Christmas with both sides of the family on the same day. It was Crazy and fun, but poor Brenna didn't get good naps so she was SO tired and crancky by the end of the day. She fell asleep drinking her milk in the car on the way home.

Christmas Morning

Christmas was so fun with Brenna this year. She was so funny with opening her gifts - it took FOREVER!! She would open one and have to play with the toy for a while then we would have to practically force her to open another one:)

Here she is with her puppy who barks, wags his tail and blinks his eyes. She LOVES dogs and since the "real" one didn't work out, this is what she ended up with. It "seems" real, at least to her :)

These were by far her favorite gift of the day - she would seriously eat these ALL DAY if we let her. I have to hide them or she's begging for them all day. Silly kid.

Her clementines weren't enough, so she took mine and Tyson's too.

Look in the background and you can see the new Silhouette Machine Tyson got for me!!!