Friday, March 14, 2008
Austin Gets Second Place
Austin entered the science fair this year. I know he is just a kindergartener but Chris and I both love science so I couldn't wait for him to get started. He has already shown interest in science himself so I thought it would be a good father-son project. He did all the work himself. I gave him the idea and we talked about the different steps but he really did a lot of the work himself. The day of the science fair I went in the morning to drop off his science project and found out that he had to be at the school all day...he usually goes to afternoon kindergarten. The judging was in the morning and he needed to be there to answer questions about his project. So by the time I got back to the school he was miserable and said that he wished he had never done a science project. He just wanted to go home. The award ceremony came and his name was called for second place out of 10 other Kindergarten projects. He finally got a smile on his face. I asked him later if he was glad he did it and, of course, he answered yes. He is already talking about what he is going to do next year.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
You've Gotta Listen to This!
One of my really good friends, Crystal, from Las Vegas has just recorded her first CD! Julie Baird, one of Crystal's friends, wrote all the songs on this CD. I have never actually met Julie but she always played for Crystal when she would sing in sacrament or Enrichment or ward activities. Crystal was originally going to sing all the songs on the CD but being the humble person she is told Julie to have some more popular LDS singers sing some of them including, David Osborn, Jenny Jordan Frogley, etc. so that the CD would be more successful. I had a sneakpeak of one of the songs awhile ago and it is absolutely amazing, as I knew it would be. I couldn't wait for its official release. I finally bought the digital CD yesterday. It is amazing! And I know how much hard work went into it. You can access her site at juliebairdmusic.com.
The CD should soon be available for purchase at Deseret Book as well. Julie and Crystal would also love to know what you think so leave a comment on her website.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Abigail Turns ONE!
I can't believe it was a year ago that my sweet Abigail was born. She has been such a joy to our family. In the morning Chris spent much of the time working on my parents roof and doing some maintenance on our "little beater" and I spent about 6 or more hours on Abigail's cake! I am not sure why I do this to myself every birthday. I can't pick a normal cake to bake or buy one like most people...Noooo, I have to choose a 7 layer cake from $%@#. Even after 6+ hours the cake was not exactly like the pictures BUT we decided that it looked a little "Dr. Suessish" so that is what we will call it...the Dr. Seuss cake. Here are the pics of her birthday and of the "Dr. Seuss cake!"
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Dee-lish!
Here are some more recipes! There is a lovely Valentine dessert (I know it is a little late for Valentines but maybe next year)! It looks a little hard but there are just a lot of steps...its not hard. I also made another dessert that was awesome...but usually if it has an Oreo crust it is pretty good in my book. I also made another Chicken dinner that my whole family liked. Chris said I should definitly make it again. I have made other stuffed chicken recipes before and this is the only one that he wanted again. Enjoy!
Chocolate Rhapsody
(courtesy of verybestbaking.com)
CAKE LAYER
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk
CHOCOLATE LAYER
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
RASPBERRY MOUSSE LAYER
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen raspberries in syrup, thawed, pureed and strained
3 bars (6-oz. box) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Premier White Baking Bars, broken into pieces
1 3/4 cups heavy whipping cream, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sweetened whipped cream (optional)
Fresh raspberries (optional)
Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Grease 9-inch springform pan.
FOR CAKE LAYER:
COMBINE flour, baking powder and salt in small bowl. Beat sugar and butter in small mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. Alternately beat in flour mixture and milk. Spread into prepared springform pan.
BAKE for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.
FOR CHOCOLATE LAYER:
MICROWAVE morsels and 3/4 cup cream in medium, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 1 minute; STIR. The morsels may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until morsels are melted. Cool completely.
FOR RASPBERRY MOUSSE LAYER:
COMBINE sugar, water and cornstarch in medium saucepan; stir in raspberries. Bring mixture to a boil. Boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Cool completely.
MICROWAVE baking bars and 1/2 cup cream in medium, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on MEDIUM-HIGH (70%) power for 1 minute; STIR. The bars may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until bars are melted. Cool completely. Stir into raspberry mixture.
BEAT remaining cream and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold raspberry mixture into whipped cream.
TO ASSEMBLE:
REMOVE side of springform pan; dust off crumbs. Grease inside of pan; reattach side. Spread 1/2 cup chocolate mixture over cake layer; freeze for 5 minutes. Spoon raspberry mousse over chocolate; freeze for 10 minutes. Carefully spread remaining chocolate mixture over raspberry mousse. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until firm. Carefully remove side of springform pan. Garnish with whipped cream and raspberries.
No-Melt Sundae Pie
(courtesy of kraftfoods.com)
15 OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, crushed (about 1-1/2 cups crumbs)
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided
1 cup cold milk
1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
2 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted
1/3 cup canned sweetened condensed milk
MIX cookie crumbs and butter; press firmly onto bottom and up side of 9-inch pie plate. Reserve 1/2 cup of the whipped topping. Refrigerate until ready to use.
POUR milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mix. Beat with wire whisk 2 min. or until well blended. Gently stir in remaining whipped topping. Spoon into crust. Mix melted chocolate and condensed milk until well blended. Spoon over pie. Cut through chocolate mixture several times with knife for marble effect.
FREEZE 6 hours or until firm. Remove pie from freezer 15 min. before serving. Let stand at room temperature to soften slightly. Top with the reserved whipped topping.
Mozzerella Chicken Roll-ups
(courtesy of kraftfoods.com)
1 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Reduced Fat Mozzarella Cheese, divided (I doubled this)
2 oz. (1/4 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Neufchatel Cheese, softened (I doubled this)
1/4 cup finely chopped green peppers (I didn't have any green peppers so I used crushed red peppers...it was a little spicy but the kids ate it)
1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves (I doubled this)
1/4 tsp. garlic salt (I doubled this)
4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.), pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
1 cup spaghetti sauce (I used Prego Garlic and Herb and I used more than a cup)
PREHEAT oven to 400°F. Mix 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese, the Neufchatel cheese, green peppers, oregano and garlic salt until well blended. Shape into 4 logs. Place 1 log on one of the short ends of each chicken breast; press into chicken lightly. Roll up each chicken breast tightly, tucking in ends of chicken around filling to completely enclose filling.
PLACE, seam-sides down, in 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Spoon spaghetti sauce evenly over chicken; cover with foil.
BAKE 30 min. or until chicken is cooked through (170°F). Remove foil; sprinkle chicken with remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Bake an additional 3 to 5 min. or until cheese is melted.
Chocolate Rhapsody
(courtesy of verybestbaking.com)
CAKE LAYER
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk
CHOCOLATE LAYER
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
RASPBERRY MOUSSE LAYER
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen raspberries in syrup, thawed, pureed and strained
3 bars (6-oz. box) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Premier White Baking Bars, broken into pieces
1 3/4 cups heavy whipping cream, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sweetened whipped cream (optional)
Fresh raspberries (optional)
Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Grease 9-inch springform pan.
FOR CAKE LAYER:
COMBINE flour, baking powder and salt in small bowl. Beat sugar and butter in small mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. Alternately beat in flour mixture and milk. Spread into prepared springform pan.
BAKE for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.
FOR CHOCOLATE LAYER:
MICROWAVE morsels and 3/4 cup cream in medium, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 1 minute; STIR. The morsels may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until morsels are melted. Cool completely.
FOR RASPBERRY MOUSSE LAYER:
COMBINE sugar, water and cornstarch in medium saucepan; stir in raspberries. Bring mixture to a boil. Boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Cool completely.
MICROWAVE baking bars and 1/2 cup cream in medium, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on MEDIUM-HIGH (70%) power for 1 minute; STIR. The bars may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until bars are melted. Cool completely. Stir into raspberry mixture.
BEAT remaining cream and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold raspberry mixture into whipped cream.
TO ASSEMBLE:
REMOVE side of springform pan; dust off crumbs. Grease inside of pan; reattach side. Spread 1/2 cup chocolate mixture over cake layer; freeze for 5 minutes. Spoon raspberry mousse over chocolate; freeze for 10 minutes. Carefully spread remaining chocolate mixture over raspberry mousse. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until firm. Carefully remove side of springform pan. Garnish with whipped cream and raspberries.
No-Melt Sundae Pie
(courtesy of kraftfoods.com)
15 OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, crushed (about 1-1/2 cups crumbs)
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided
1 cup cold milk
1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
2 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted
1/3 cup canned sweetened condensed milk
MIX cookie crumbs and butter; press firmly onto bottom and up side of 9-inch pie plate. Reserve 1/2 cup of the whipped topping. Refrigerate until ready to use.
POUR milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mix. Beat with wire whisk 2 min. or until well blended. Gently stir in remaining whipped topping. Spoon into crust. Mix melted chocolate and condensed milk until well blended. Spoon over pie. Cut through chocolate mixture several times with knife for marble effect.
FREEZE 6 hours or until firm. Remove pie from freezer 15 min. before serving. Let stand at room temperature to soften slightly. Top with the reserved whipped topping.
Mozzerella Chicken Roll-ups
(courtesy of kraftfoods.com)
1 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Reduced Fat Mozzarella Cheese, divided (I doubled this)
2 oz. (1/4 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Neufchatel Cheese, softened (I doubled this)
1/4 cup finely chopped green peppers (I didn't have any green peppers so I used crushed red peppers...it was a little spicy but the kids ate it)
1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves (I doubled this)
1/4 tsp. garlic salt (I doubled this)
4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.), pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
1 cup spaghetti sauce (I used Prego Garlic and Herb and I used more than a cup)
PREHEAT oven to 400°F. Mix 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese, the Neufchatel cheese, green peppers, oregano and garlic salt until well blended. Shape into 4 logs. Place 1 log on one of the short ends of each chicken breast; press into chicken lightly. Roll up each chicken breast tightly, tucking in ends of chicken around filling to completely enclose filling.
PLACE, seam-sides down, in 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Spoon spaghetti sauce evenly over chicken; cover with foil.
BAKE 30 min. or until chicken is cooked through (170°F). Remove foil; sprinkle chicken with remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Bake an additional 3 to 5 min. or until cheese is melted.
Monday, March 3, 2008
I AM a Homemaker!
I read this article recently and just had to write this post. Sometimes I feel myself, when being asked if I work, being a little intimidated and saying "I'm JUST a homemaker..." I sometimes find myself wondering if I should be working (utilizing my degree) or working from home like so many moms do now. But deep down, I am irritated by it because I LOVE being home. Some moms out there might kill me for saying that, but I do. I love waking up with my children, feeding them breakfast, doing little projects, helping them learn how to work around the house, helping with homework, running them around to their activities, cooking dinner and even cleaning up after them. Don't get me wrong...it is not without its moments!! But, I love being home and when I think of all the things that I would miss if I had to work I am very saddened. I am grateful that my husband has a good enough job that allows me to have my greatest desire. I am also grateful for a husband who appreciates all that "just staying home" entails. Although we do go without a lot of extra "toys," we have what we need and a lot of what we want too! So, I AM a homemaker and I love it and am proud of it!
With that being said...we had a very fun week last week. It finally reached temperatures that were good enough to go outside. The kids rode their bikes outside everyday last week. On Friday, the girls and I went to the park and even got sunburned! I forgot the altitude change makes you burn easier here... Here are some pictures of the week! I am glad we enjoyed it while it lasted because it snowed again yesterday...
Dancing in the Sunshine
Resting after playing hard
Playing at the park with cousins
With that being said...we had a very fun week last week. It finally reached temperatures that were good enough to go outside. The kids rode their bikes outside everyday last week. On Friday, the girls and I went to the park and even got sunburned! I forgot the altitude change makes you burn easier here... Here are some pictures of the week! I am glad we enjoyed it while it lasted because it snowed again yesterday...
Dancing in the Sunshine
Resting after playing hard
Playing at the park with cousins
Friday, February 22, 2008
Flashback Friday
My friend Rebecca does Flashback Fridays on her blog and I was telling her how much I liked the idea. I also mentioned to her that my flashback to the 90s couldn't possibly compete with her 80's. Who doesn't just love the 80s? But she encouraged me to post anyway so here goes.
This first flashback is going out to my best friend, Michele. We have been friends for approximately 22ish years. We met in Girl Scouts when we were about 6 or 7 and have been friends ever since. We were inseparable for the first 10 years until my family moved to Utah. I remember when I was 10, my family actually moved about 20 min away from hers but we would still make our parents drive us to each others house every weekend so we could have sleepovers. We would usually end up staying the whole weekend. We made prank-calls, called the radio station to see if we could get on, had food fights, talked about boys, played games, had make-overs, and a million other girly things. I don't think I have a memory from ages 6-14 that she wasn't a part of in some way.
Here is the first picture I have of us at about 6 years of age in 1986...I don't know why her head is cut off...I think my brother actually took this picture. He was 5 at the time.
This is us in 1991
The next two photos of us are when we graduated from HS in 1997, her from Cajon HS in CA and me from Enterprise HS in UT.
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This first flashback is going out to my best friend, Michele. We have been friends for approximately 22ish years. We met in Girl Scouts when we were about 6 or 7 and have been friends ever since. We were inseparable for the first 10 years until my family moved to Utah. I remember when I was 10, my family actually moved about 20 min away from hers but we would still make our parents drive us to each others house every weekend so we could have sleepovers. We would usually end up staying the whole weekend. We made prank-calls, called the radio station to see if we could get on, had food fights, talked about boys, played games, had make-overs, and a million other girly things. I don't think I have a memory from ages 6-14 that she wasn't a part of in some way.
Here is the first picture I have of us at about 6 years of age in 1986...I don't know why her head is cut off...I think my brother actually took this picture. He was 5 at the time.
This is us in 1991
The next two photos of us are when we graduated from HS in 1997, her from Cajon HS in CA and me from Enterprise HS in UT.
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Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Super Survey!
Getting to Know Me (tagged by Emily)
NO PICTURE AVAILABLE! (Honestly, I don't have a recent picture of me. Sad, I know. One of my goals this year is to actually take more pictures of myself...not because I love pictures of myself but as I have been scrapping pictures from the last 10 years, I can probably count on one hand how many pictures of me there are. I am sure my children/grandchildren will wonder where I was all those years! I would have taken one today but my batteries in my camera died and I have to go to the store to get more...)
Where were you born? Henderson, NV
Middle name: Michelle
How old will you be this year? 29 (August)
Nicknames: Jenny, Jenn, Fred
Are you taller than your mother or father? I'm 5'1.5 and my mom is 5'1...so yes, by a half an inch!
Do you cry often during movies? Way too much...pretty much every movie I watch I find some reason to cry...it is really annoying!
What is your biggest pet peeve? Inconsiderate people; like when people leave their carts out at the grocery store or rude drivers
Favorite color: I know this sounds corny but I really like all the colors!
Favorite foods: Cookies!
Favorite beverage: Usually water but if I had to pick something besides water it would be a Strawberry Lemonade from Red Robin...they put whole strawberries in it and I usually have, like 2 refills!
Favorite cold cereal: Sugary: Reese's Puffs; Healthy: Wheat Chex or Kashi's Mountain Medley (I can only find it at Costco and only some of the time)
Favorite smells: Clean laundry, my shower gel, freshly baked cookies
(I have to agree with you completely, Emily!)
Favorite time of day: 7am when the kids get up and run in my bedroom to give me their "morning hugs." and 8pm when I get to put them to bed and spend some alone time with Chris!
Favorite make-up products? Chapstick and mascara!
How many pillows do you sleep with? One
Do you play an instrument? I wish I did
Have you ever been skinny dipping? can I plead the fifth?
Did you do any sports in High School? Dance
What was the last movie you saw in the theater? Jumper
What is your favorite article of clothing? My "date clothes" because I don't get to actually get dressed up very often.
What is your dream vacation? I don't know if you would call this a vacation but Chris and I would love to take the whole family on a 1 year RTW trip but not necessarily to see all the tourist sites but to actually do humanitarian work! Weird, huh!
What was your first impression of your spouse? "Wow, what a hottie!"
If you were an animal what would you be? A Giraffe...wouldn't it be awesome to see the world from their perspective?!
What is your favorite "me- time" activity? Digi-scrapping, blogging and reading
Favorite TV shows: Heros, Good Eats, Oprah, House
What is your dream car? I actually don't have one.
What is one of your weaknesses? Speaking without thinking
What do you fix for dinner when there's nothing to fix? Spaghetti or Tacos
If you could live in a different decade/era which one would it be? Probably during the time of the restoration of the gospel or when the Savior lived.
What is the emotion you feel the most? Joy (even though we may have problems, I am so happy with my family and feel truely blessed everyday)
Do you consider yourself outgoing? Sometimes
What is something you are constantly working on? Being a better example to my kids.
Any hidden talents? Nope!
What is a word or phrase you overuse? "Like..."
What was the hardest thing that happened to you this past year? Moving back home where Chris took a very large paycut and an even bigger hit in benefits! But since it was self-inflicted, we can't really complain much.
What is the best thing that happened to you this past year? I gave birth to our sweet Abigail almost a year ago exactly!
What is one thing you hope to accomplish this year? Buy/build a house!
The best piece of advice you learned this past year? To allow God to direct my life instead of trying to push my own plan & to be content with where I am and with what I have!
I Tag: Stephanie B., Michele R., Amme R. Mandi M. and Kristi H. and anyone else who wants to...,- You must post a recent picture of yourself!
NO PICTURE AVAILABLE! (Honestly, I don't have a recent picture of me. Sad, I know. One of my goals this year is to actually take more pictures of myself...not because I love pictures of myself but as I have been scrapping pictures from the last 10 years, I can probably count on one hand how many pictures of me there are. I am sure my children/grandchildren will wonder where I was all those years! I would have taken one today but my batteries in my camera died and I have to go to the store to get more...)
Where were you born? Henderson, NV
Middle name: Michelle
How old will you be this year? 29 (August)
Nicknames: Jenny, Jenn, Fred
Are you taller than your mother or father? I'm 5'1.5 and my mom is 5'1...so yes, by a half an inch!
Do you cry often during movies? Way too much...pretty much every movie I watch I find some reason to cry...it is really annoying!
What is your biggest pet peeve? Inconsiderate people; like when people leave their carts out at the grocery store or rude drivers
Favorite color: I know this sounds corny but I really like all the colors!
Favorite foods: Cookies!
Favorite beverage: Usually water but if I had to pick something besides water it would be a Strawberry Lemonade from Red Robin...they put whole strawberries in it and I usually have, like 2 refills!
Favorite cold cereal: Sugary: Reese's Puffs; Healthy: Wheat Chex or Kashi's Mountain Medley (I can only find it at Costco and only some of the time)
Favorite smells: Clean laundry, my shower gel, freshly baked cookies
(I have to agree with you completely, Emily!)
Favorite time of day: 7am when the kids get up and run in my bedroom to give me their "morning hugs." and 8pm when I get to put them to bed and spend some alone time with Chris!
Favorite make-up products? Chapstick and mascara!
How many pillows do you sleep with? One
Do you play an instrument? I wish I did
Have you ever been skinny dipping? can I plead the fifth?
Did you do any sports in High School? Dance
What was the last movie you saw in the theater? Jumper
What is your favorite article of clothing? My "date clothes" because I don't get to actually get dressed up very often.
What is your dream vacation? I don't know if you would call this a vacation but Chris and I would love to take the whole family on a 1 year RTW trip but not necessarily to see all the tourist sites but to actually do humanitarian work! Weird, huh!
What was your first impression of your spouse? "Wow, what a hottie!"
If you were an animal what would you be? A Giraffe...wouldn't it be awesome to see the world from their perspective?!
What is your favorite "me- time" activity? Digi-scrapping, blogging and reading
Favorite TV shows: Heros, Good Eats, Oprah, House
What is your dream car? I actually don't have one.
What is one of your weaknesses? Speaking without thinking
What do you fix for dinner when there's nothing to fix? Spaghetti or Tacos
If you could live in a different decade/era which one would it be? Probably during the time of the restoration of the gospel or when the Savior lived.
What is the emotion you feel the most? Joy (even though we may have problems, I am so happy with my family and feel truely blessed everyday)
Do you consider yourself outgoing? Sometimes
What is something you are constantly working on? Being a better example to my kids.
Any hidden talents? Nope!
What is a word or phrase you overuse? "Like..."
What was the hardest thing that happened to you this past year? Moving back home where Chris took a very large paycut and an even bigger hit in benefits! But since it was self-inflicted, we can't really complain much.
What is the best thing that happened to you this past year? I gave birth to our sweet Abigail almost a year ago exactly!
What is one thing you hope to accomplish this year? Buy/build a house!
The best piece of advice you learned this past year? To allow God to direct my life instead of trying to push my own plan & to be content with where I am and with what I have!
I Tag: Stephanie B., Michele R., Amme R. Mandi M. and Kristi H. and anyone else who wants to...,- You must post a recent picture of yourself!
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
The Making of a Star
Austin loves to sing, dance and, even, act. He will act out whole scenes from his favorite movies (all the actors, word for word). The only problem is, he inherited his mothers severe stage fright. So when he goes to perform, and you can really tell he wants to, he just can't bring himself to do it. So I continue to be his only audience until...last night. Last night, I was able to record him. So without futher adieu, here is Austin making his singing debut...hehe
Unfortunately, my camera battery died and I only got a glimpse of his shower performance. I still thought it was pretty cute! Maybe, next time. LOL
Unfortunately, my camera battery died and I only got a glimpse of his shower performance. I still thought it was pretty cute! Maybe, next time. LOL
Monday, February 11, 2008
New Scrapbooking Pages
I posted more scrapbooking pages on the left in the slide shows under both family slides and Allison's slide. It has been interesting to scrapbook Allison's pictures when she was the same age as Abigail is now. They look so much a like. I am glad that I am finally getting around to scrapping them so I don't start getting their pics mixed up.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Cupcakes!
I saw these cute Valentine cupcakes in a newsletter I get from Familyfun.com. I thought the kids would enjoy making them and they looked easy enough. We were having our monthly DeMille dinner on Monday night so I decided that we would make them and bring them that night so I didn't get stuck eating them all. There is over 30 DeMille's so I had to double the recipe. That didn't seem too hard, right? I didn't really calculate until the cupcakes were in the oven that would mean that I would have to actually decorate 48 cupcakes. I thought, no problem...the kids will decorate maybe 5-10 each and then that will leave me about 20-30 to decorate by myself. Well,my kids only decorated 1 each...just enough for them to eat. That left me with 46 to decorate! Half way through decorating them the family night dinner was cancelled because half of them were sick. Now that left me with 46 cupcakes to eat! Not good! Did I mention that the kids had also made Valentine candy bags for their 12 cousins. We could NOT keep all this sugar in the house! Since it was FHE night anyway, we decided to deliver the cupcakes to all the family members anyway and talked about service, etc. It ended up turning out ok but, needless to say, I am "cupcaked-out!"
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
A Kool New Toy!
So, I just bought a kool new toy with money I earned doing surveys (that is whole 'nother post). I bought Adobe Photoshop Elements 6. It is the cheap version of Adobe Photoshop but I didn't want to spend $4-600 on the full version until I learned the easy version...and let me tell you...that will be a long time. But I did learn a new trick today that I thought was so kool I had to share it. Look at the first two pics and then look at the last pic. When taking a group shot, especially with children, they often are turning their heads and fidgeting, etc. You rarely get a shot that everyone is looking at you AND smiling. So you end up taking about a hundred different shots hoping that there will be at least one worth anything. I took about 2 dozen of the kids on the stairs and really none of them turned out well. BUT I learned how to combine the pics so that you can use the best of two or several pictures. IT IS AWESOME! In the first picture Austin is looking at the camera but the kids on the left are fidgeting. In the second picture the kids on the left are looking and smiling but Austin is looking away from the camera. The one on the bottom is the combined picture. FUN!
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Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Tribute to a Prophet
As I was picking Austin up from school today I noticed the school flag was at half-mast. I thought for a second and realized why. It warmed my heart to know that Austin goes to a school where people care that our prophet has passed. I felt overwhelmed for a second and found my eyes tearing up. I couldn't help but come home and make my own little tribute to such an exemplary man.
Things I learned from President Gordon B. Hinckley
1. Stand for Something
2. Be Positive
3. Love your spouse - my husband and I learned so much from watching the Hinckleys and their deep devotion to and respect for each other.
4. Don't be Ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ
5. The importance of temple work
6. Stand a little Taller, Be a Little Better - nothing will seem overwhelming if we just try to be a little better each day. What great council!
7. Go Forward with Faith
As much as my heart is saddened that I won't be able to hear President Hinckley's delightful jokes or his inspired council I know how much he missed his sweet wife and am glad that they can be together again.
"All of us have to deal with death at one time or another, but to have in one's heart a solid conviction concerning the reality of eternal life is to bring a sense of peace in an hour of tragedy and loss that can come from no other source under the heavens." ~ President Gordon B. Hinckley
Monday, January 28, 2008
The Month in Pictures...
I have been pretty busy these last couple of weeks so I just barely had a chance to download the 115 pictures I took over the last month. Allie was sick most of the month with some weird things. She stepped on a tack-strip and it didn't even bleed but over the next week became severly infected. It went from the size of a needle poke to larger then a qaurter. I had to soke it several times a day and put polysporin on it and then bandage it up. Once we got that in control, one of her eyes became infected with some weird thing and after several weeks is just now going away. This mom thing can be really scary and stressful and times...:)
The rest of the month, I spent babysitting for several different family members. My kids love playing with their cousins and since they haven't been able to play outside at all, it is nice to have something else to do besides try and be entertained by mom. BORING! (That is a new word that Austin has been using frequently...any advice on how to quench that habit would be greatly appreciated.)
Allie's Infections
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I love how this outfit brings out the color in Abigails eyes.
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Abigail learned how to climb stairs...she is so proud of herself!
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Allison dressed herself this morning...together thses clothes look a little risque but I promise that she doesn't usually look like a "street walker."
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Allie loves to help make dinner...she helps every night!
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Austin, Allison and Abigail with just a few of their cousins
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The rest of the month, I spent babysitting for several different family members. My kids love playing with their cousins and since they haven't been able to play outside at all, it is nice to have something else to do besides try and be entertained by mom. BORING! (That is a new word that Austin has been using frequently...any advice on how to quench that habit would be greatly appreciated.)
Allie's Infections
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I love how this outfit brings out the color in Abigails eyes.
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Abigail learned how to climb stairs...she is so proud of herself!
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Allison dressed herself this morning...together thses clothes look a little risque but I promise that she doesn't usually look like a "street walker."
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Allie loves to help make dinner...she helps every night!
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Austin, Allison and Abigail with just a few of their cousins
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Friday, January 25, 2008
Tagged!
Ok, I've been tagged and...if you're re reading this, you've been tagged!
5 Things I was doing 10 years ago:
- Still growing up...I was only 18.
- Working as a telemarketer...yes, I was the one annoying you!
- Falling madly, deeply in love...Chris asked me to marry him almost 10 years ago exactly!
- Going to college (and almost failing because Chris wouldn't let me study)!
- Fighting with roommates (remember that, Stephanie!)
5 things on my "to do" list:
- Make hair bows for the girls
- Catch up on all my magazines I get in the mail
- Visiting Teaching
- Science project for Austin
- Go to Costco
5 Snacks I enjoy:
- Cookies
- Skittles
- Popcorn
- Brownies
- Peanut M&Ms
5 Things I'd do with a Billion Dollars: (wow that is WAY too much money!)
- Buy a home and pay off both our parent's homes
- Travel the world
- Start a business for Chris
- Become a philanthropist
- Definitely go back to school (Great idea Rebecca!)
3 Habits:
- Blogging
- Oprah (although I've been slacking...I have about 7 that I have recorded and not watched)
- Food Network
5 places I've Lived:
- San Bernardino, CA
- Las Vegas, NV
- Cedar City, UT
- Logan, UT
- San Diego, CA
5 Jobs I've had:
- Dance instructor
- Greenhouse worker
- Convergys: Telemarketer, Quality control, Command Center
- MOTHER!
5 Things I was doing 10 years ago:
- Still growing up...I was only 18.
- Working as a telemarketer...yes, I was the one annoying you!
- Falling madly, deeply in love...Chris asked me to marry him almost 10 years ago exactly!
- Going to college (and almost failing because Chris wouldn't let me study)!
- Fighting with roommates (remember that, Stephanie!)
5 things on my "to do" list:
- Make hair bows for the girls
- Catch up on all my magazines I get in the mail
- Visiting Teaching
- Science project for Austin
- Go to Costco
5 Snacks I enjoy:
- Cookies
- Skittles
- Popcorn
- Brownies
- Peanut M&Ms
5 Things I'd do with a Billion Dollars: (wow that is WAY too much money!)
- Buy a home and pay off both our parent's homes
- Travel the world
- Start a business for Chris
- Become a philanthropist
- Definitely go back to school (Great idea Rebecca!)
3 Habits:
- Blogging
- Oprah (although I've been slacking...I have about 7 that I have recorded and not watched)
- Food Network
5 places I've Lived:
- San Bernardino, CA
- Las Vegas, NV
- Cedar City, UT
- Logan, UT
- San Diego, CA
5 Jobs I've had:
- Dance instructor
- Greenhouse worker
- Convergys: Telemarketer, Quality control, Command Center
- MOTHER!
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Finally...a good reason to blog!
Several months ago, when I wrote my first post I wasn't quite sure why I felt so compelled to do so. I had been reading several of my friends blogs but I am beyond "peer pressure" and the juvenile desire to "fit in." After several months of thinking about starting a blog I finally jumped in, still not quite sure why I did but wanting to pacify the continuous feeling that I should start one. As much as I loved sharing recipes and pictures and news of my children I still felt like there was a bigger reason.
This past week I have had several things happen that led to the answer that I have been seeking. First, I have to tell you about my "missionary" experience.
I enjoy reading about the lives of others. I feel like, for the most part, we are all God's children going through life, trying to find peace and happiness the best way we know how (whether or not you are LDS). I draw strength and wisdom from reading about others lives...their trials and accomplishments and how they deal with each. One day I stumbled upon an Evangelical blog that had a post titled - "Evangelicals vs. Mormons: The Great Divide." So, of course, my curiosity got the best of me and I read the article. In the wake of Mitt Romney running for president, the LDS church (known to the world as "Mormons") have had several articles written about them and I always find myself reading them and wondering what the world really believes about me and the beliefs that I hold so dear. As I read this article it had several misconceptions about the church. I read the comments in regard to the article and was also amazed at the misconceptions held by the articles readers. I have never felt compelled to comment or "debate" online about my beliefs but something just kept telling me that I needed to comment. So, as best and as unargumentative as I could, I tried to dispel the myths they had written about. I was actually kind of proud of myself for doing so in a way that was not offensive to anyone but got the point across that what they thought didn't match what we actually believe and I referred them to the church website if they would like more information. I am usually so timid when it comes to discussing my beliefs for all the usual reasons...rejection, fear, etc. After responding to the article I felt that maybe I shouldn't have. I showed Chris and he also had mixed feelings. On one hand he was really proud of me for stepping in and saying something but on the other hand he is always very "proper" and knows that "contention is of the devil." We were now both wondering if it was appropriate and it continued on both of our minds for several days until...I was reading an e-mail I get from LDSLiving.com. They were discussing an article by Elder M. Russel Ballard. The following are excerpts from it and the answer to the biggest reason I blog.
"How different your world is today. If you read newspapers, the chances are you read them on the Internet. Yours is the world of cyberspace, cell phones that capture video, video downloads and iTunes, social networks like Facebook, text messaging and blogs, hand-helds and podcasts. As many in my generation are just getting onto email, that’s already becoming old hat to most of you."
"This is your world, the world of the future, with inventions undreamed of that will come in your lifetime as they have in mine. How will you use these marvelous inventions? More to the point, how will you use them to further the work of the Lord?"
"The Lord over the centuries has had a hand in inspiring people to invent tools that facilitate the spreading of the gospel. The Church has adopted and embraced those tools, including print, broadcast media, and the Internet. While the Internet is often misunderstood and incomprehensible to many of my generation, it is second-nature to yours. Almost every career you are entering into will require you to utilize the Internet effectively."
"There are conversations going on about the Church constantly. Those conversations will continue whether or not we choose to participate in them. But we cannot stand on the sidelines while others, including our critics, attempt to define what the Church teaches. While some conversations have audiences in the thousands or even millions, most are much, much smaller. But all conversations have an impact on those who participate in them. Perceptions of the Church are established one conversation at a time."
So there you go. Finally, a good reason to blog. Not that I am going to give up posting pictures about my family or other random thoughts that I have but maybe I can also use this blog to share my testimony of my Heavenly Father and of his son, Jesus Christ. I cannot deny the feelings I get everyday as I feel my Saviors love for me. I know that Heavenly Father lives and has a body of flesh just like you and me. I know that he sent his son Jesus to set the example for us and ultimately suffer for our mistakes. He wanted us to all return to live with him but he knew that we would all make mistakes and that no unclean thing can dwell in the kingdom of God. I know that the truth of the gospel was lost with the original apostles of the new testament. But then a young boy who was humble enough to pray to ask which church was true and which he should join did eventually restore the truth to the earth. I know without a doubt that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God but that he was still just a man and no man, save Jesus, is perfect. Through Joseph the priesthood of God was restored to the Earth so that families can be sealed together for eternity and blessings can be given to the sick and needy. That same man was persecuted from the day he mentioned ever seeing Heavenly Father and Jesus. But he never denied what he saw even after being tortured, jailed and eventually murdered for he could not deny it because he knew God would know if he denied it and feared God more then man. We follow the same organization that existed in the ancient times, even the church that Jesus Christ himself established. It is through my beliefs in the gospel that I am able to have hope in our future no matter what else happens. My faith makes me a better mother, friend, sister and wife. It doesn't make me perfect but it gives me something to strive for and I know that when I do make mistakes that I can be forgiven and try harder next time. It is because of the Savior and his gospel that I no suffer from depression (which I was diagnosed with in High School). I could not deny the tender mercies from the Lord that happen daily in my life. I see miracles happen everyday.
So with that said, I hope that I can do what Elder Ballard has suggested and join in on the conversations that happen online and help, in my little way, define what "Mormons" really believe.
This past week I have had several things happen that led to the answer that I have been seeking. First, I have to tell you about my "missionary" experience.
I enjoy reading about the lives of others. I feel like, for the most part, we are all God's children going through life, trying to find peace and happiness the best way we know how (whether or not you are LDS). I draw strength and wisdom from reading about others lives...their trials and accomplishments and how they deal with each. One day I stumbled upon an Evangelical blog that had a post titled - "Evangelicals vs. Mormons: The Great Divide." So, of course, my curiosity got the best of me and I read the article. In the wake of Mitt Romney running for president, the LDS church (known to the world as "Mormons") have had several articles written about them and I always find myself reading them and wondering what the world really believes about me and the beliefs that I hold so dear. As I read this article it had several misconceptions about the church. I read the comments in regard to the article and was also amazed at the misconceptions held by the articles readers. I have never felt compelled to comment or "debate" online about my beliefs but something just kept telling me that I needed to comment. So, as best and as unargumentative as I could, I tried to dispel the myths they had written about. I was actually kind of proud of myself for doing so in a way that was not offensive to anyone but got the point across that what they thought didn't match what we actually believe and I referred them to the church website if they would like more information. I am usually so timid when it comes to discussing my beliefs for all the usual reasons...rejection, fear, etc. After responding to the article I felt that maybe I shouldn't have. I showed Chris and he also had mixed feelings. On one hand he was really proud of me for stepping in and saying something but on the other hand he is always very "proper" and knows that "contention is of the devil." We were now both wondering if it was appropriate and it continued on both of our minds for several days until...I was reading an e-mail I get from LDSLiving.com. They were discussing an article by Elder M. Russel Ballard. The following are excerpts from it and the answer to the biggest reason I blog.
"How different your world is today. If you read newspapers, the chances are you read them on the Internet. Yours is the world of cyberspace, cell phones that capture video, video downloads and iTunes, social networks like Facebook, text messaging and blogs, hand-helds and podcasts. As many in my generation are just getting onto email, that’s already becoming old hat to most of you."
"This is your world, the world of the future, with inventions undreamed of that will come in your lifetime as they have in mine. How will you use these marvelous inventions? More to the point, how will you use them to further the work of the Lord?"
"The Lord over the centuries has had a hand in inspiring people to invent tools that facilitate the spreading of the gospel. The Church has adopted and embraced those tools, including print, broadcast media, and the Internet. While the Internet is often misunderstood and incomprehensible to many of my generation, it is second-nature to yours. Almost every career you are entering into will require you to utilize the Internet effectively."
"There are conversations going on about the Church constantly. Those conversations will continue whether or not we choose to participate in them. But we cannot stand on the sidelines while others, including our critics, attempt to define what the Church teaches. While some conversations have audiences in the thousands or even millions, most are much, much smaller. But all conversations have an impact on those who participate in them. Perceptions of the Church are established one conversation at a time."
So there you go. Finally, a good reason to blog. Not that I am going to give up posting pictures about my family or other random thoughts that I have but maybe I can also use this blog to share my testimony of my Heavenly Father and of his son, Jesus Christ. I cannot deny the feelings I get everyday as I feel my Saviors love for me. I know that Heavenly Father lives and has a body of flesh just like you and me. I know that he sent his son Jesus to set the example for us and ultimately suffer for our mistakes. He wanted us to all return to live with him but he knew that we would all make mistakes and that no unclean thing can dwell in the kingdom of God. I know that the truth of the gospel was lost with the original apostles of the new testament. But then a young boy who was humble enough to pray to ask which church was true and which he should join did eventually restore the truth to the earth. I know without a doubt that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God but that he was still just a man and no man, save Jesus, is perfect. Through Joseph the priesthood of God was restored to the Earth so that families can be sealed together for eternity and blessings can be given to the sick and needy. That same man was persecuted from the day he mentioned ever seeing Heavenly Father and Jesus. But he never denied what he saw even after being tortured, jailed and eventually murdered for he could not deny it because he knew God would know if he denied it and feared God more then man. We follow the same organization that existed in the ancient times, even the church that Jesus Christ himself established. It is through my beliefs in the gospel that I am able to have hope in our future no matter what else happens. My faith makes me a better mother, friend, sister and wife. It doesn't make me perfect but it gives me something to strive for and I know that when I do make mistakes that I can be forgiven and try harder next time. It is because of the Savior and his gospel that I no suffer from depression (which I was diagnosed with in High School). I could not deny the tender mercies from the Lord that happen daily in my life. I see miracles happen everyday.
So with that said, I hope that I can do what Elder Ballard has suggested and join in on the conversations that happen online and help, in my little way, define what "Mormons" really believe.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Chicken Recipes galore!
I get tired of the same old chicken recipes so here are some nice twists on chicken. I have made each of these in the last couple of weeks and my family liked all of them.
Chicken Piccata (courtesy of allrecipes.com)
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 egg
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup butter
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder
1/2 cup boiling water
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a small bowl, beat the egg together with 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice. Set aside.
2. In a shallow bowl or dish mix together the flour, garlic powder and paprika. Dip the chicken in the egg/lemon mixture, then in the seasoned flour.
3. In a large skillet, melt butter/margarine and brown the coated chicken pieces.
4. Dissolve the bouillon in the boiling water, then add the remaining 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Pour liquid into skillet. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes, turning chicken pieces after 10 minutes, until chicken is tender. Garnish as desired and serve.
I served with a broccoli salad and buttered bread. You could also probably serve with rice or pasta.
Southwest Chicken Skillet
(courtesy of BHG.com)
Ingredients
1 1- to 1.5-ounce envelope fajita seasoning mix (I used taco seasoning because I already had it on hand)
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons cooking oil
12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces
Nonstick spray coating
1 medium yellow or green sweet pepper, cut into squares
1 small zucchini, bias-sliced (I actually didn't use any because I didn't have any)
1/2 small onion, cut into thin wedges
2/3 cup salsa
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1/2 cup cooked or canned black beans, rinsed and drained
8 8-inch flour tortillas (optional)
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Colby-Monterey Jack cheese (optional)
Directions
1. For marinade, in a medium mixing bowl combine fajita mix, water, and oil. Add chicken to marinade. Stir to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.
2. Spray a large skillet with nonstick coating. Preheat over medium heat. Add sweet pepper, zucchini, and onion; cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove from skillet.
3. Drain chicken; discard marinade. Add chicken to skillet. (If necessary, add 1 tablespoon cooking oil during cooking.) Cook and stir for 4 to 5 minutes or until no pink remains. Return vegetables to skillet. Stir together salsa and chili powder. Add salsa mixture, corn, and beans to skillet. Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes more or until heated through. Serve with warm tortillas and cheese, if desired. (To heat tortillas, wrap in microwave-safe paper towels; micro-cook on high power for 30 seconds). Makes 4 servings
I have had other recipes similar to this one but this was still good.
Slow-cooker Chipotle Lime Chicken Thighs with Jamaican Rice and Peas(courtesy of Food Network)
1 cup sliced onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
4 pounds skinless chicken thighs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tablespoon minced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce with 1 teaspoon sauce from can
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 avocado, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Lime wedges, for garnish
Arrange onion, celery and carrots in bottom of slow cooker. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper and arrange over vegetables.
In a medium bowl, whisk together tomato sauce, lime juice, chipotle chiles with sauce, and garlic. Pour mixture over chicken.
Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours. Serve half of the thighs with this meal (topped with diced avocado and cilantro and garnished with lime wedges) and reserve remaining thighs for another meal.
Jamaican Rice and Peas:
2 cups instant white rice
1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
1 cup water
1 (15-ounce) can red beans, drained
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
1/4 cup chopped scallions
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a medium saucepan, combine rice, coconut milk, water, beans, thyme, and lime zest. Set pan over high heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 5 minutes, until liquid is absorbed. Fold in scallions and season to taste with salt and pepper.
I was a little worried about this recipe because it used a lot of new ingredients I have never tried before. It actually turned out good...even my kids ate it. It was a little spicy so if you are sensitive then you should probably use a little less of the chipotle chilies.
Chicken Piccata (courtesy of allrecipes.com)
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 egg
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup butter
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder
1/2 cup boiling water
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a small bowl, beat the egg together with 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice. Set aside.
2. In a shallow bowl or dish mix together the flour, garlic powder and paprika. Dip the chicken in the egg/lemon mixture, then in the seasoned flour.
3. In a large skillet, melt butter/margarine and brown the coated chicken pieces.
4. Dissolve the bouillon in the boiling water, then add the remaining 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Pour liquid into skillet. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes, turning chicken pieces after 10 minutes, until chicken is tender. Garnish as desired and serve.
I served with a broccoli salad and buttered bread. You could also probably serve with rice or pasta.
Southwest Chicken Skillet
(courtesy of BHG.com)
Ingredients
1 1- to 1.5-ounce envelope fajita seasoning mix (I used taco seasoning because I already had it on hand)
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons cooking oil
12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces
Nonstick spray coating
1 medium yellow or green sweet pepper, cut into squares
1 small zucchini, bias-sliced (I actually didn't use any because I didn't have any)
1/2 small onion, cut into thin wedges
2/3 cup salsa
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1/2 cup cooked or canned black beans, rinsed and drained
8 8-inch flour tortillas (optional)
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Colby-Monterey Jack cheese (optional)
Directions
1. For marinade, in a medium mixing bowl combine fajita mix, water, and oil. Add chicken to marinade. Stir to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.
2. Spray a large skillet with nonstick coating. Preheat over medium heat. Add sweet pepper, zucchini, and onion; cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove from skillet.
3. Drain chicken; discard marinade. Add chicken to skillet. (If necessary, add 1 tablespoon cooking oil during cooking.) Cook and stir for 4 to 5 minutes or until no pink remains. Return vegetables to skillet. Stir together salsa and chili powder. Add salsa mixture, corn, and beans to skillet. Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes more or until heated through. Serve with warm tortillas and cheese, if desired. (To heat tortillas, wrap in microwave-safe paper towels; micro-cook on high power for 30 seconds). Makes 4 servings
I have had other recipes similar to this one but this was still good.
Slow-cooker Chipotle Lime Chicken Thighs with Jamaican Rice and Peas(courtesy of Food Network)
1 cup sliced onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
4 pounds skinless chicken thighs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tablespoon minced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce with 1 teaspoon sauce from can
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 avocado, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Lime wedges, for garnish
Arrange onion, celery and carrots in bottom of slow cooker. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper and arrange over vegetables.
In a medium bowl, whisk together tomato sauce, lime juice, chipotle chiles with sauce, and garlic. Pour mixture over chicken.
Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours. Serve half of the thighs with this meal (topped with diced avocado and cilantro and garnished with lime wedges) and reserve remaining thighs for another meal.
Jamaican Rice and Peas:
2 cups instant white rice
1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
1 cup water
1 (15-ounce) can red beans, drained
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
1/4 cup chopped scallions
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a medium saucepan, combine rice, coconut milk, water, beans, thyme, and lime zest. Set pan over high heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 5 minutes, until liquid is absorbed. Fold in scallions and season to taste with salt and pepper.
I was a little worried about this recipe because it used a lot of new ingredients I have never tried before. It actually turned out good...even my kids ate it. It was a little spicy so if you are sensitive then you should probably use a little less of the chipotle chilies.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
I got this from a friend...
| You Belong in Spring |
 Optimistic, lively, and almost always happy with the world... You can truly appreciate the blooming nature of spring. Whether you're planting flowers or dyeing Easter eggs, spring is definitely your season! |
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Change...
I found this post on a blog that I occasionally read. It touched me quite a bit since our family has just been faced with huge change and she worded it so beautifully; I wanted to share it with the rest of you. (courtesy of mormonsoprano.com)
Isn’t life interesting? We build a comfortable “personal space” around ourselves. It is almost like our own mini world-within-a-world that we carry as an invisible shell. This protective shell is the sum of all our experiences, knowledge, hopes and fears. It shapes how we see the world. It defines ‘life as we know it’, and becomes our truth. We like to believe we now have all the truth we ever need to be happy and do not need anything else to come along and disrupt things. We have the best intention to live “happily ever after”. But, then the forces of nature and the grand design of the universe has a way of puncturing our small world. Invariably this happens just as soon as we get comfortable. It often feels we are constantly in the process of “mending holes” in our shell, and making space for new knowledge and truths to come in. We call this process Change. The poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow likened the discomfort of Change to the seasons.
“Into every life a little rain must fall”
Human beings alternately desire and fear change. It has the power to save or damn, to bless or curse, to mend or destroy, to improve or decay. In fact, Change lives up to it’s name: it is a chameleon. It offers both joy and pain each time it arrives, depending on where you are standing. We all know the trite saying “when life brings you lemons, make lemonade”. But could this be a truth? Can we actually benefit from what initially appears to be a disaster? Consider the rain that Longfellow mentioned. When it starts to fall, it will spoil the backyard party, but saves a farmer’s crops. It makes our shoes muddy, but our lawns green. It places the worm in mortal peril, but the bird gets a good dinner!
There are many philosophies about change, and how to handle it when it walks into our world and makes itself at home. It usually comes as an unexpected, uninvited and unwanted guest. But along with the discomfort it also presents new opportunities. This is a hard concept for any of us when we are experiencing something that is ending our world as we know it. The opportunities, or blessings of the event may not be seen for years. Sometimes, the full picture eludes us all our life. Most of our unexpected changes are just annoying daily occurrences. A detour in the road, an appliance on the blink, bad weather, a bounced check, or the traffic jam that delays our arrival time. But other changes come along that are truly heart wrenching and more difficult to reconcile; unemployment, divorce, poverty, illness and death, just to name a few.
We have all worked very hard to gain the knowledge, experience and truth we have today. Understandably, we hold tight to it and don’t want to lose any of it. When change comes along, it means we must relinquish our certainty. There is hope when we hear others who traveled an especially difficult path say they “gave up something good for something better”. But, we wonder, is this really possible?
This past year, my daughter was in the hospital for 9 weeks in a city hundreds of miles from home. I was taken in by the Ronald McDonald House near the hospital, and experienced many tender mercies. During that time, I discovered that I had joined a special ‘fraternity’ of sorts with the other parents and families undergoing tremendous life changes due to an illness, accident or birth defect of a child. Life as we knew it was forever lost. The uncertainty of the future was overwhelming. We all had our own unique story and grief to carry. And yet we were united in the common bond of suffering, and the effort of holding tight to the one thing left; Hope. Small victories were celebrations: A baby beginning to breathe without a respirator; a paralyzed son finding his voice again; a heart getting strong enough to remove the monitors; a successful surgical procedure; a wheelchair outing to the garden; and every single smile. Our lives were counted in moments and milestones instead of days. When my daughter eventually experienced the miracle of recovery, and we returned home, our hearts were filled with unspeakable joy. Our love for God and belief in His power was undeniable. As time passes we can see clearly that the blessings that have come from enduring this experience outweigh the sorrow and suffering. You would think that when someone experiences a large and dramatic trial of their faith such as this, that would be enough to sustain them for the rest of their lives. We fall victim to the “happily ever after” syndrome again. But the truth is that life’s victories must be won in the battle of daily living. The interesting phenomenon is how easily the miracles we receive fade once the intense pain of the moment is gone. Even with such dramatic witnesses to us of the Lord’s divine power, it is hard to maintain the intensity level of this Faith indefinitely. Our hardest test may be to remember the Lord when things get comfortable again. Perhaps this is why we continually undergo the changes that challenge us the most individually, so that we are reminded that our lives are not really our own. We live on borrowed time, and need continual divine help. We must learn to trust in the Lord and discern what He is trying to teach us in order to have true happiness.
I can honestly say that in looking back over my life thus far, and all the wondrous changes I have experienced, I have gained much more than I have lost. It stands to reason, that any of the changes I am currently experiencing or the future ones that come along, will also bring better things in their own time. Why this knowledge is so hard for me to keep a hold of is a frustrating mystery. It is so easy to forget, and to lose Faith. I suspect it was designed to be this way as a part of the human experience.
Today we celebrate the first day of the advent of Jesus Christ. He is our example in all things. His birth, life and death fulfilled God’s promise to each of us that our lives and suffering have a purpose.
The wisest among us learn to embrace change when it comes, trusting that it is part of a divine plan to bring us the most happiness. Longfellow had it right when he concluded;
“The best thing one can do when it is raining,
is to let it rain”
Isn’t life interesting? We build a comfortable “personal space” around ourselves. It is almost like our own mini world-within-a-world that we carry as an invisible shell. This protective shell is the sum of all our experiences, knowledge, hopes and fears. It shapes how we see the world. It defines ‘life as we know it’, and becomes our truth. We like to believe we now have all the truth we ever need to be happy and do not need anything else to come along and disrupt things. We have the best intention to live “happily ever after”. But, then the forces of nature and the grand design of the universe has a way of puncturing our small world. Invariably this happens just as soon as we get comfortable. It often feels we are constantly in the process of “mending holes” in our shell, and making space for new knowledge and truths to come in. We call this process Change. The poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow likened the discomfort of Change to the seasons.
“Into every life a little rain must fall”
Human beings alternately desire and fear change. It has the power to save or damn, to bless or curse, to mend or destroy, to improve or decay. In fact, Change lives up to it’s name: it is a chameleon. It offers both joy and pain each time it arrives, depending on where you are standing. We all know the trite saying “when life brings you lemons, make lemonade”. But could this be a truth? Can we actually benefit from what initially appears to be a disaster? Consider the rain that Longfellow mentioned. When it starts to fall, it will spoil the backyard party, but saves a farmer’s crops. It makes our shoes muddy, but our lawns green. It places the worm in mortal peril, but the bird gets a good dinner!
There are many philosophies about change, and how to handle it when it walks into our world and makes itself at home. It usually comes as an unexpected, uninvited and unwanted guest. But along with the discomfort it also presents new opportunities. This is a hard concept for any of us when we are experiencing something that is ending our world as we know it. The opportunities, or blessings of the event may not be seen for years. Sometimes, the full picture eludes us all our life. Most of our unexpected changes are just annoying daily occurrences. A detour in the road, an appliance on the blink, bad weather, a bounced check, or the traffic jam that delays our arrival time. But other changes come along that are truly heart wrenching and more difficult to reconcile; unemployment, divorce, poverty, illness and death, just to name a few.
We have all worked very hard to gain the knowledge, experience and truth we have today. Understandably, we hold tight to it and don’t want to lose any of it. When change comes along, it means we must relinquish our certainty. There is hope when we hear others who traveled an especially difficult path say they “gave up something good for something better”. But, we wonder, is this really possible?
This past year, my daughter was in the hospital for 9 weeks in a city hundreds of miles from home. I was taken in by the Ronald McDonald House near the hospital, and experienced many tender mercies. During that time, I discovered that I had joined a special ‘fraternity’ of sorts with the other parents and families undergoing tremendous life changes due to an illness, accident or birth defect of a child. Life as we knew it was forever lost. The uncertainty of the future was overwhelming. We all had our own unique story and grief to carry. And yet we were united in the common bond of suffering, and the effort of holding tight to the one thing left; Hope. Small victories were celebrations: A baby beginning to breathe without a respirator; a paralyzed son finding his voice again; a heart getting strong enough to remove the monitors; a successful surgical procedure; a wheelchair outing to the garden; and every single smile. Our lives were counted in moments and milestones instead of days. When my daughter eventually experienced the miracle of recovery, and we returned home, our hearts were filled with unspeakable joy. Our love for God and belief in His power was undeniable. As time passes we can see clearly that the blessings that have come from enduring this experience outweigh the sorrow and suffering. You would think that when someone experiences a large and dramatic trial of their faith such as this, that would be enough to sustain them for the rest of their lives. We fall victim to the “happily ever after” syndrome again. But the truth is that life’s victories must be won in the battle of daily living. The interesting phenomenon is how easily the miracles we receive fade once the intense pain of the moment is gone. Even with such dramatic witnesses to us of the Lord’s divine power, it is hard to maintain the intensity level of this Faith indefinitely. Our hardest test may be to remember the Lord when things get comfortable again. Perhaps this is why we continually undergo the changes that challenge us the most individually, so that we are reminded that our lives are not really our own. We live on borrowed time, and need continual divine help. We must learn to trust in the Lord and discern what He is trying to teach us in order to have true happiness.
I can honestly say that in looking back over my life thus far, and all the wondrous changes I have experienced, I have gained much more than I have lost. It stands to reason, that any of the changes I am currently experiencing or the future ones that come along, will also bring better things in their own time. Why this knowledge is so hard for me to keep a hold of is a frustrating mystery. It is so easy to forget, and to lose Faith. I suspect it was designed to be this way as a part of the human experience.
Today we celebrate the first day of the advent of Jesus Christ. He is our example in all things. His birth, life and death fulfilled God’s promise to each of us that our lives and suffering have a purpose.
The wisest among us learn to embrace change when it comes, trusting that it is part of a divine plan to bring us the most happiness. Longfellow had it right when he concluded;
“The best thing one can do when it is raining,
is to let it rain”
Friday, January 4, 2008
All settled in…sort of…
It has been two weeks now since we moved. I think we have everything pretty much in order. It has been a little crazy but we have been amazed at the help and support that we have felt both from family and friends before we left Las Vegas and immediately upon arriving in our new home. So we have to give a HUGE THANK YOU to all of you who showed up to help us move, sent us warm wishes and then came to move us in and make sure we felt welcome. We already had the Bishop and Elders Quorum visit us just three days after the first time we attended church. Is that a record?
Chris has also started his new job. This is his third day. It is quite different then his previous job but he thinks he will learn a lot. We also got his test results from the P.E. and HE PASSED. YEAH! I never doubted he would. He is so smart. Now we just have to wait the required time (another year or so) and he will officially be called an Engineer…it’s only taken 9 years!
Despite the move, I think the kids had a great Christmas. They are absolutely thrilled to live closer to their cousins and grandparents. They are still unsure how much they like the cold. Today it is extremely windy…Austin keeps mentioning that a tree is going to fall on our house. I had to reassure him twice that we don’t live close enough to any trees for that to happen. But they do love being pulled on the sled by Grandpa Carter’s 4-wheeler. Here are some pictures of the last two weeks. I hope everyone had a great Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Chris has also started his new job. This is his third day. It is quite different then his previous job but he thinks he will learn a lot. We also got his test results from the P.E. and HE PASSED. YEAH! I never doubted he would. He is so smart. Now we just have to wait the required time (another year or so) and he will officially be called an Engineer…it’s only taken 9 years!
Despite the move, I think the kids had a great Christmas. They are absolutely thrilled to live closer to their cousins and grandparents. They are still unsure how much they like the cold. Today it is extremely windy…Austin keeps mentioning that a tree is going to fall on our house. I had to reassure him twice that we don’t live close enough to any trees for that to happen. But they do love being pulled on the sled by Grandpa Carter’s 4-wheeler. Here are some pictures of the last two weeks. I hope everyone had a great Christmas and a Happy New Year!
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