Red beans and rice

It was a cold, gloomy and rainy day in Menifee so I decided to make my first attempt at red beans and rice. I know it is a southern dish but I am from south Asia so whats the difference. Anyways it came out amazing!

Why do I laugh so hard at this?!?!?!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Baked goods

I love the fact that my wife is a semi-pro baker, I am sure she could go pro if she wanted. Check out this home made granola and mini quiches that she made...Fantastic!

All by Himself!

Bo had his first day on the job all by himself! So weird to me how fast it has gone. He is now patrolling Palm Desert in his own patrol car, doing his own thing, taking calls on his own, dealing with people on his own. Please pray for him! I was nervous for him, but he is doing well, and so excited to be out there. He said he was ready. Here is a press release from the station about a call for a suspicious bag, and Bo was the primary deputy on it. So weird to see his name on there. I am so proud of him!

Avary Michelle Dietrich

Avary Michelle Dietrich
Born October 29th, 2008 at 6:15am
She weighs 8lb 6oz and is 19.5 inches long

Lauren was amazing. She went into labor at about 3:30pm on the 28th, and we finally went to the hospital at about 11:00pm, her contractions were about a 1-3 minutes apart at that point.
She was so tough, she was totally focused through the whole thing, she would just breath and concentrate. She kept apologizing for being a wimp (WHAT!?!?!?), come to find out she was the only one there without an Epidural! All natural. I was so proud of her, and so grateful for the blessing it was to witness the whole process (without getting queasy too!). They kicked me out of her little closet of a room at the last second before delivery due to the lack of room. Anyway, here are some pictures. Avary is nursing great, and darling, I can't wait for everyone to meet her, thank you for all your prayers!
It was so funny because Naim and Monique had Lennon on the 27th, and it just so happens they were in the room right next door!
(P.S. I am trying to learn how to use Bo's old Nikon D100, so if they are a little out of focus or funky I apologize.)

Such a perfect mom, so easy going and happy to have her out!

Aunt Hannah, I am just crazy about her!

Grandma Robbin, get in your snuggles and kisses before you have to go back to Hawaii! :-(

Grandpa Dean...I don't know that he has embraced the whole being-called-grandpa thing.

She is so perfect, totally a Dietrich, looks nothing like Lauren.

Uncle Isaac, he was waiting and waiting to become an Uncle.

Uncle Jacob, I would come home, and the first thing he would ask is, "am I an uncle yet?"

Uncle Bo, he loves babies.

Don't you just wanna kiss those cheeks!?!?!

Her daddy, Jake loves her to pieces.

Los Ninos

The boys are back in town! Isaac and Jacob are visiting from Hawaii and are having a blast.We rarely get to see these boys and try to enjoy every moment we have with them. Josiah is very fond of the boys also we know this because Josiah's teacher said he journals about Isaac and Jacob every day. Tyler and the boys are also old buddies. Ryland is the youngest of them all but keeps up like he is the same age.

Hannah has been experimenting with our old Nikon D100 so far so good. We hope and pray these little guys will grow up to be men who love Jesus and who arent afraid of anything because of Jesus.

My Family is Here!!!!!

My family is here! I am so excited! I have been thinking about it everyday since they bought their tickets. I have 2 weeks off work starting Friday and a new niece coming anyday! We have some events planned with my brothers, since they are excited about Avary, but most likely won't want to just sit there and hold her like the rest of us, I am going to try to keep them entertained. Bo's brother Josiah LOVES my brothers and talks about them all the time, his teacher even said he talks about them all the time, so hopefully he will be able to tag along until he starts back to school.

This Picture is a few years old (2004 I believe), we were in Kona, my parents live on the Hilo side of the island though. This was right after they moved there.

My Mom and dad at our wedding, June 17th, 2006, that was such a fun day, I wish it would have lasted longer, it was really hot that day too. I love my parents. Everyone loves them.

My youngest brother Jacob, he is the boy version of me, we totally think alike. I remember doing some of the same things he does, when I was his age, and getting in trouble for the same things. He is hilarious too (just like me...haha! Just Kidding). I think he is 8 here, he is going to be 10 in November!! I can't even believe it.

This is Isaac he just turned 12 in June, seriously so weird to me. He is just like Lauren, it is really funny how my parents had 2 more kids and they are the boy versions of my sister and I. He is super smart, loves to read, and knows everything about plants, he even cross breeds plants.

My dad and I dancing at our wedding, I love my dad, we are so much alike. Bo and him are total buddies, they get along really well, I am so thankful for that. Bo didn't have much convincing to do when he asked my dad if he could marry me. In fact my mom told him, "you can marry our daughter if you want to", only like 2 months after we met, and we weren't even dating!! I was pretty horrified when I found out, but I guess God had a plan eh?

Both my brothers surf. This is a picture of my dad and Isaac from a contest they did I think in August or September. Isaac got 5th, and Jacob got 6th. They are really fun to watch, and always fighting each other for waves.
Jacob and my mom.
Anyway, hopefully you will get to meet them when they are here! I know they will be at church, so come over and say Hi!

Cookie Dough Fest

So every now and then, I make a whole bunch of cookie dough and freeze it. For a couple of reasons, one, it is WAY better (probably about the same price) than the store bought frozen/refrigerated cookie dough, two, it is nice to have around when unexpected company comes over. This time I am making it because my mom and brothers are going to be out next Monday (Yay!), my sister is having a baby any minute (Yay!), and I am getting 2 weeks off work (Yay!). It is really just convenient to throw in the oven when you want a little something. So here are the 3 kinds, with recipes that I made......

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
(this recipe has been in my family FOREVER, I memorized the recipe when I was like 12 or something)

Wet Ingredients

• 2 sticks softened butter (I use regular and omit the salt in the recipe, but you can do the unsalted kind then add the salt)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs

-Cream the butter then add the sugars, add vanilla, and the eggs one at a time, incorporating well after each addition. The mixture should be kind of fluffy.

Dry Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup Flour
• 1 tsp Baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 T cinnamon (THIS MAKES THEM SOOOO GOOD)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 cups "not quick" Oats

-Mix these altogether

-Add the dry ingredients to the wet. Add your desired amount of chocolate chips (I am not a huge fan of ultra chocolately cookies), you can also add nuts if you want, I never do. Drop spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for about 6-8 minutes (I never set a timer, i just watch, cause i feel like everytime i use exactly the time they say it is always overcooked).

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The next one comes from The Pioneer Woman, if you have not made these cookies, YOU NEED TO. They are so good, really good textures throughout the cookie, and kind of hearty, not good for you, but hearty okay, there is a difference, I think. They take a ton of ingredients, but were totally worth it, it also makes enough to feed a small country.

Everything Cookies

• 1 1/2 cups butter
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 4 1/4 cups flour
• 4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/3 cups quick oats
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups Quaker Granola (oats & honey, yellow box)
• 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
• 1 1/2 cups Cran-raisins
• 1 1/2 cups apricots

Cream butter and sugars. Add egg and vanilla. Next add flour, baking soda, and salt. Add in oatmeal and granola. Fold in pecans and other ingredients. With cookie scoop or two spoons, drop onto cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 10 minutes (Again I think she overcooks them, mine were in the oven for about 7 minutes)

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The next one I got from my great grandma. I found it in my mom's recipe box one day when I was little (I was/still am a baking feign, as you can tell from my lovely physique.) My mom remembers my great grandma making these when she was little. I don't like peanut butter cookies, not even in the slightest (they are always too dry for me), but I love these.

Grandma Neva's Peanut Butter Cookies

• 1 Cup Peanut Butter
• 1 Cup Shortening
• 1 Cup Brown sugar
• 1 Cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp Baking Soda

Mix it all together, the only things i mix before putting in is the flour and baking soda, drop onto a cookie sheet and cris-cross with a fork. Bake at 350 for about 7 minutes. MMMmmm Tasty!

My Love

I am overwhelmingly blessed to have Hannah Rose Sivilay as my wife and best friend. She has been supportive of everything that I do. She blogs about it! She has been keeping our house clean, our pantry and fridge stock full of food, our clothes clean and press, our dog buddy fed and excercised, plus she works full time! my super woman... This year has been difficult on us since we barely get to see each other but Jesus is the victor and redeemer of all things and he is strengthening our weak hearts through prayer, scripture and great fellowship. He also is moving things around so that we will have more time with each other...I can't wait! this is a tribute blog to my wife.

We've got Aunts!!!

I went up to Solvang last Thursday with my sister, my 3 aunts (pictured below) and my 2 cousins. It was a fun day to all be together. My cousin Ashley was out from Baltimore for Lauren's baby shower, and my Aunt Janie, is moving out here from Key Largo Florida soon, so she was house shopping and she also came for the shower. I love my Aunts, they are the best ever.

My Aunt Sally, My Aunt Cindy, and my Aunt Janie. Sally and Cindy are my dads older sisters, and Aunt Jane is an Aunt by marriage that we all have always considered one of our own. We love her to pieces and can't wait til she is closer to all of us!

(everyone tells me I look like my Aunt Cindy)

My sister Lauren and baby Avary (Due Oct 20Th!), my cousin Ashley (who everyone always thinks i look like too, she is Cindy's youngest daughter, go figure), Aunt Sally, Aunt Jane, Cousin Amy (Cindy's Oldest Daughter), me, and Aunt Cindy.

Aunt Sally and Me.

It was a beautiful day, the last time I went to Solvang I think I was 12 so it really fun to see it again, great shopping, great food (pastries!!), such cute architecture too. It is kind of a long drive for just a day trip, but if you leave early enough in the morning you would have plenty of time there, we left at 8am and actually hit a bunch of traffic, it took us about 4 hours to get there.