Six is Sensational

Pumpkin Crunch Muffins

2010-12-01T17:54:00.004-07:00

I found this recipe quite awhile ago at KSL.
In the original recipe, the crunch is made by topping
the unbaked muffins with about one tablespoon of brown sugar each.
I have never had success with using brown sugar like that.
When I try it, the brown sugar usually melts and looks kinda gross!
The main body of these muffins is delicious,
so I adjusted the crunch topping by adding butter, oats and flour
to the brown sugar.
The results were delicious!

Use the recipe found at KSL,
and add this topping to the top of the unbaked muffins:

1/4 c. butter, melted
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. oats
1/4 c. flour
Mix with a fork until crumbly, and sprinkle on muffins.
Bake muffins for about 20 minutes.

The Blizzard That Wasn't and Gratitude

2010-11-24T09:34:00.004-07:00

It looked threatening enough.

Looking even more threatening....

The flakes begin to fall.

When it started, it snowed and blew pretty hard...

but it didn't last for long.
Oh well, the tree looks pretty cool anyway.

Gratitude

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and there's so much I'm grateful for!
My husband (the best!), my kids (awesome!),
our families, the gospel of Jesus Christ, wonderful friends,
a good roof over my head, Christmas music, scented candles,
my sisters, cars that run, food to eat, warmth,
electricity, exercise making me stronger, health and strength,
Cream of Wheat, dark chocolate. (Not necessarily in that order).
This is just a few because the list would be way too long!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Lasagna Soup

2010-11-08T18:02:00.006-07:00

I found this recipe today over at Real Mom Kitchen.
I changed it up a little by using no green pepper,
adding a little olive oil, an extra tablespoon of brown sugar,
extra pasta and an extra garlic clove.
It really does taste like lasagna.
Give it a try and you won't be sorry!
Here's my version:

Lasagna Soup

1 lb. ground beef
a small handful of dry minced onion
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 T. olive oil
1 tsp. thyme
2 T. brown sugar
4 c. water
4 chicken bouillon cubes
2 cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 14 oz. can tomato sauce
1 t. basil
1 t. oregano
3/4 t. sea salt
2 1/2 c. uncooked rotini pasta
3/4 c. grated parmesan
shredded mozzarella
garlic croutons

In a large pot, brown ground beef, onion, and garlic in olive oil.
Cook until ground beef is brown.
Stir in thyme, brown sugar, water, bouillon, tomatoes, sauce, seasonings and salt.
Bring to a boil and simmer 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook pasta until just underdone.
Stir pasta and cheese into soup.
Continue simmering for another 3-4 minutes.
Serve topped with shredded mozzarella and croutons.

(The Day Before) Halloween 2010

2010-10-30T18:24:00.004-06:00

Dinner in a pumpkin.
Not something I'd wanna have all the time,
but fun for Halloween.

This video shows you Jared's latest creation.
He decided he wanted to be a transformer,
so he designed this costume and made it himself with
a little measuring and cutting help from Dad.
Awesome job, Jared!!

Pumpkin Swirl Cookies

2010-10-29T19:02:00.003-06:00

The real name for these cookies is
Cream Cheese-Filled Pumpkin Cookies.
But I think "Pumpkin Swirl Cookies"
is MUCH easier to say.
Especially when you have your mouth full of them. :)
You can find the recipe here.

Nicole came home today and she did the honors
of making these cookies.
They look cute and they taste great!!

Jack 0'lanterns 2010

2010-10-25T20:24:00.001-06:00

Happy Halloween!!

Pumpkin Bundt

2010-10-24T18:22:00.003-06:00

(Forgive the bad lighting!)

Here's another of my own creations.
It's very moist with good flavor.

Pumpkin Bundt

1 Duncan Hines spice cake mix
2 c. canned pumpkin
1/2 c. buttermilk
3 eggs
1 t. cinnamon

Mix all ingredients in electric mixer
for 2 minutes on medium speed.
Pour into well greased bundt pan.
Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes
or until a pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Frost with cinnamon buttercream:
3 T. melted butter
1/2 t. vanilla
1 t. cinnamon
2 T. milk
add powdered sugar to desired consistency.

Maple Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

2010-10-11T19:12:00.004-06:00

Got this recipe in one of my newspaper inserts.
You can find it here. So yummy!
I made a few adjustments, such as
swapping some of the oats for steel cut oats,
using whole wheat flour,
and changing the corn syrup to agave nectar.

The big 1-6

2010-09-16T16:31:00.004-06:00

My birthday boy likes white cake.
So I baked up this creation.
Our Best Bites' Easy White Cake. Go here for the recipe.
There's a link in the recipe for White Vanilla Frosting,
and it starts with milk and flour.
Yep, you got that right!
It's very light, fluffy, and not too sweet.
Seriously good!

Here's the big birthday boy.
He's legal now, for driving, dating, all that good stuff.
He does want to drive, but I don't think he's too
concerned about the dating part.
I might have to change that, but then again, I might not.
At least, not yet.

Birthday Party!

2010-09-16T16:28:00.002-06:00

I had my birthday on 9/11,
and Jake's is 9/16.
We celebrated together on 9/12.
Happy Birthday to us!!

My recent, current and future reads

2010-08-05T13:05:00.002-06:00

If you know me, you know that I MUST
have a book to read
at all times.
I LOVE BOOKS!!

Pioneer Taffy

2010-07-23T15:42:00.003-06:00

Blueberry Peach Ice Cream

2010-07-19T17:08:00.003-06:00

Tonight's dessert/Family Home Evening treat!
It's my own creation
and turned out pretty good.
~~~~~~~~~
Blueberry Peach Ice Cream
~~~~~~~~~
2 cups fresh blueberries
2 medium peaches
3 T. sugar
3 T. lemon juice

Peel the peaches and crush the berries.
Combine with the sugar & lemon juice
and let it sit for 30 minutes to macerate.
After 30 minutes,
puree the fruit.
Put in a large bowl and add:
1 cup fat free half & half
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 c. milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 t. sea salt
1/2 t. lemon extract
2 T. vanilla

Stir together well
and then pour into your ice cream maker.
Freeze according to manufacturers' directions.
Enjoy!!

Thoughts on Day 19

2010-07-18T09:39:00.005-06:00

(At this point, this is pretty much how I feel)

So Day 19 passed yesterday,
and I am still doing it.
On vacation, my knee (which has arthritis)
started to bother me.
I didn't know if it was the 30 Day Shred
or the all the hours riding in the car
(which that knee has never liked).
We've been home a week and for the last few workouts,
I actually did them barefoot.
My knee was not bothered at all,
which I'm really happy about!
I did not want arthritis
to derail my plans for my bod!
Anyway, I'm down 5 lbs according to the scale,
which is good.
Clothes fit differently
and I'm sure I've lost inches
in a lot of places.
Problem is, I didn't think to measure myself
when I started!
The best part is, I now feel a drive to exercise--
my body needs it.

Another healthy breakfast treat

2010-07-17T09:23:00.002-06:00

This is Yoplait Greek Yogurt (plain flavor),
drizzled with a teaspoon of agave nectar
and then topped with 1/3 cup of Bear Naked Fit Vanilla Almond granola
and 1/4 cup of fresh blueberries.
So good!

Vacation Pics, part one

2010-07-13T18:52:00.003-06:00

Our vacay took us to Moab, then to Durango Colorado,
and then back to Moab for more fun in the sun.
These pics show the beautiful red rocks of Moab,
and some shots of us on our Hummer Slickrock tour.
It was the most awesome fun!!

We're Back!

2010-07-13T18:44:00.004-06:00

We went on vacation for a week, and it was a blast. Pics will be coming soon!

In the meantime, here's another recipe for you, courtesy of The Pioneer Woman.
16-Minute Beef and Bean Burritos, which I made for dinner tonight.
I did a couple things different from the recipe.
Instead of warming them in the microwave,
I laid them all out on a cookie sheet as I rolled them,
and then put them in the oven at 325 for about 10 minutes.
It was a hit because everyone in the house liked them.
That's a feat in itself!!

Thoughts on Day 9

2010-07-02T20:09:00.004-06:00

(Editor's Note:
I don't have this book, but I want it).

My thoughts on Day 9 of Jillian Michaels:

1. That woman is tough, but she has a heart. I now watch "Losing it with Jillian" every Tuesday.
2. I want abs! I want arms! I want long hair, too. Maybe Jillian's hair is why I've been obsessing about long hair lately....
3. Abs, arms, hair...That's why I keep doing this.
4. I do like exercise more now. I used to HATE it!
5. I feel stronger. And tougher. That's also why I keep doing this.
6. The scale hasn't moved that much, but I keep reminding myself that I'm building muscle.
7. A couple of days ago, I could SWEAR my arm had more definition.
8. Today I tried level 2 and I went back to feeling like I was going to die. Except I didn't feel that way as long.
That's good, right?
9. I'm using only dark chocolate to satisfy my sweet tooth. Ghirardelli 72% to be exact.
10. I'm taking Jillian (and Ghirardelli) along on my vacation. I'm afraid NOT to!

An open letter to Jared

2010-06-28T09:08:00.003-06:00

Dear Joj,
You're off to Camp Bartlett this week!
Have fun, buddy!
And take good care of yourself!
Love,
Mom

Gimme a 5 and a 3!!

2010-06-26T09:10:00.001-06:00

5 is for Day 5 of Jillian's 30 Day Shred.

And 3 is for the pounds I am down since I started!!

Whoo-hoo!!! It's working!

Jillian: 1, Me: 1

2010-06-22T18:45:00.004-06:00

Monday I started doing this.
And Monday, I thought I was going to DIE.
And I mean DIE!
The rest of the day my legs were complete rubber.
Today I did day 2,
and I don't know what the difference was,
but I feel FANTASTIC!
I'm not saying I'm not sore,
because I most certainly am.
But I feel great! I feel stronger already.
Jillian motivates me.
But I do have muscles that I never knew I had.
Like the muscles right in front of your armpits.
Those KILL whenever I wash my hands
for crying out loud! :)
And the muscles between your shoulder blades?
They are there also.
And the muscles in my thighs?
They SCREAM whenever I walk down the stairs!
I'm not complaining though
because all this means one thing:
I am going to be the fittest in my life!

5 Grain Banana Muffins

2010-06-22T09:54:00.005-06:00

This is my own creation
and they turned out great!
Here's the recipe.

1 c. Bob's Red Mill 5 Grain Rolled cereal, dry
1 c. flour (you could use either whole wheat or all purpose)
3 T. brown sugar
1/2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
2 ripe bananas, mashed with a fork
1 egg
1/2 c. buttermilk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Spray a 12 cup muffin tin with Pam.
Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk together.
Make a well in the center and add the mashed banana,
the egg, and the buttermilk.
Using a fork, mix together until just combined.
Be careful not to over mix.
Divide batter evenly between the muffin cups.
Bake for about 12 mins, until golden brown
and a pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool 5 minutes in the pan before removing to a wire rack.

Nutrition information:
There are 104 calories per muffin, less than one gram of fat,
21 grams of carbohydrate (with 7 grams from sugar),
2 grams of fiber (with all purpose flour),
and 3 grams of protein.

Father's Day breakfast

2010-06-20T08:24:00.003-06:00

This is an Omelet wrap...it's healthy and delicious!
It's what I made for Jeff for his
Father's Day breakfast. I also made one for me. :)
The original recipe came from
the Eat Clean diet by Tosca Reno.
I've adapted it a little to fit my tastes.
Here's my version:

Omelet Wrap
~~~~~
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1 T. milk
sea salt & pepper to taste
1 t. olive oil
1 whole wheat tortilla
1 Laughing Cow cheese wedge
about 1 T. chopped fresh cilantro

Spray a small frying pan with Pam and then add the oil.
Heat the pan over medium high heat.
Beat the egg, egg white, and milk together.
Add salt and pepper to your taste.
When the pan is hot, pour in the egg mixture.
Cook til almost set on top,
then turn over and cook for about 1-2 minutes more.
During cook time,
warm the tortilla in the microwave for 12 seconds.
Spread warmed tortilla with the cheese.
Sprinkle with the fresh cilantro.
Lay the omelet on top & roll up.
Let sit for a minute, then cut in half.
Enjoy!

Rock-a-bye baby

2010-06-19T15:06:00.002-06:00

This is Mia and Grandpa Sedlacek's doggie, Otie.
Otie is supposedly a Shiitzu,
but he's really just a big baby.
He'll cuddle like one forever!

Homemade Belgian Waffles

2010-06-17T09:00:00.005-06:00

Classic Belgian Waffles.
Yum!
They take a little time
since you have to whip the egg whites,
but it's worth it!
These turned out so good...
crispy on the outside,
soft on the inside.
Here's the recipe.

I've always said, you learn something new everyday

2010-06-16T11:46:00.002-06:00

Sarah the Seafarer

2010-06-15T16:13:00.003-06:00

Seafarer blue, that is.
We made over Sarah's room!

Crushed silk curtains.
I actually found these at Walmart for all of $9.
Add some ribbon that exactly matches the paint,
and Voila!!

Sarah's just humoring me here.
Can you tell?

Wall appliques are awesome!
So easy, and Sarah can move them around if she wants.

Nicole did all the painting.
She is the BEST!

More new camera funshots

2010-06-14T15:15:00.003-06:00

Takes pretty good sunset shots.

Looking out towards the Oquirrh Mountains.

I love that you can see the water droplets on this daisy.

Antelope Island in the far background.

New Camera Fun

2010-06-13T18:19:00.006-06:00

Let's just call him "Mr. Blue Eyes."
He can sing, too.
But no one would know that, since he tries not to.
But seriously, he's got perfect pitch.

That would make this one
"Miss Green Eyes."
There should be a saying about little ladies with green eyes.

My Gerber Daisies are about the only thing
still growing in this weird weather we're having!
Everything else, especially the vegetable plants,
is just sitting there...not growing, not dying...just waiting
for the heat to show up!

Jeff and I had been eyeing a Fuji XP10 camera
at Costco for about a month.
It's waterproof, dust proof, freeze proof
and shock proof.
In other words, perfect for our river trip coming up. :)
Lo and behold,
Friday night when we went to Costco together,
there was a $40 instant manufacturer's rebate on that very camera!!!
We were SO excited!!
Since Jeff had gotten a bonus that day,
we bought the camera.
Sometimes waiting pays!!

Sunday=Yummy Dessert!!

2010-06-13T17:53:00.003-06:00

This is Chocolate Brownie Pudding.
I've seen similar recipes with names like
Hot Fudge Cake.
This one is different, and by far the best I've tried.
This recipe comes from the Lion House Bakery.
(I know! You can't go wrong with a Lion House Anything!)
~~~~~~~
Chocolate Brownie Pudding

2 c. all-purpose flour
2 t. baking powder
1 1/2 c. sugar ( I use Organic Cane Sugar)
1/4 c. cocoa
1 t. salt (I use sea salt)
1 c. milk
2 t. vanilla (I like the Kirkland Signature pure vanilla)
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. chopped walnuts (I had pecans so I used those)
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. cocoa
3 1/2 c. hot water (I cut it to 3 cups and I'm glad)

Preheat oven to 350.
Grease a 9x13 pan.
Mix flour, baking powder, sugar, 1/4 c. cocoa and salt.
To this, add the milk, vanilla
and melted butter. Mix until incorporated.
Stir in chopped nuts.
Pour into pan and set aside. (I added about 1/2 c. of additional milk,
and it was still more like "spread in pan" rather than "pour into pan.")
In a large bowl, mix brown sugar and 1/2 c. cocoa.
Pour in hot (I used almost boiling) water
and stir until well blended.
Carefully pour this on top of the brownie batter in the pan.
Bake for 35-40 minutes.
This is really yummy served warm with vanilla ice cream!!

Perfect Potato Soup

2010-06-10T19:59:00.004-06:00

I've tried to make a good
Crock-Pot potato soup
many, many times.
Finally today
I think I came up with a winner!

Perfect Potato Soup
~~~~~~~
1-2 lb. bag frozen cubed hashbrowns (the kind with onions and peppers)
1/2 of a 10 oz. bag of frozen sweet corn
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 T. parsley flakes
6 chicken bouillon cubes
6 cups hot water

Throw this all in the crockpot
for 3-4 hours on high
or 5-6 hours on low.

30 mins. before serving time
stir in the following:
1-2 cups shredded Sharp Cheddar cheese (depending on how cheesy you like it)
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 c. fat free half & half, warmed
~~~~~~~
Serve with some crusty bread & butter.
Yummy!

Let's play catch-up

2010-06-04T11:30:00.003-06:00

I made these pork carnitas one night.
Definitely a recipe keeper!
Wanna try them? Go here.

Jacob graduated from Jr. High.
And not a minute too soon! (for him)

Then he went paintballing.
Something he's been waiting for!

We cut flowers from the yard
(and Jeff arranged them)
for Jeff's mom's grave
and my grandma's grave.
Remembering is always nice.

My honey cut some lilacs for me
and arranged them himself.
I told him he could've been a florist.

Mmmm.....

2010-05-17T18:21:00.002-06:00

Homemade Cafe Rio chicken salads,
complete with Creamy Tomatillo Dressing.
Yumm!!

Go here for all the recipes.

Finally...it FEELS like May!

2010-05-15T16:53:00.003-06:00

The newly planted vegetable garden below,
and Jake helping check the sprinklers.
Seems every year, they get shut down
in perfect working order...
but come spring, you never know how many
repairs are going to be needed!

Sarah looking over things.

Snapdragons--
the challenge is to stop Jared
from picking the heads off
and making them "talk."

My favorite Gerber Daisies!
plus some more Snapdragons

My front flower bed with my new solar lights.
Thanks, Ma and Pa!

Eagle Scout

2010-04-27T08:47:00.003-06:00

Our new Eagle Scout.
So proud of him!

Getting a hug from Dad.

Dad getting his "Eagle Scout Dad" pin.

Taking the oath.
His Varsity Leader
gave him the oath.
Jake gave him the mentor pin.

Tonight's the night!

2010-04-25T08:59:00.002-06:00

Jacob will be awarded with
his Eagle Scout Award tonight.
Pics tomorrow....

Ways to stay involved with your diabetic teen

2010-04-13T16:44:00.001-06:00

Ways to stay involved with your diabetic teen

Posted using ShareThis

FDA takes a closer look at blood glucose meters

2010-04-05T15:32:00.001-06:00

FDA takes a closer look at blood glucose meters

Posted using ShareThis

And More Easter Eggs!

2010-04-03T14:01:00.001-06:00

More Easter Eggs!

2010-04-03T13:59:00.002-06:00

Easter Eggs!

2010-04-03T13:56:00.002-06:00

Conference Weekend

2010-04-03T13:53:00.002-06:00

Every conference, the kids built tents
in the family room
for Conference watching.
This is the girls' tent.

Sarah's Earth Layers Parfait

2010-04-03T13:39:00.003-06:00

Chocolate syrup
Graham cracker crumbs
Chocolate pudding
Whipped cream
Cinnamon candies.
Yum!

A friend of mine said it best

2010-03-31T14:02:00.002-06:00

I'm dreaming of a white easter?!

In the mood for spring food!

2010-03-29T19:15:00.002-06:00

Tonight's dinner...yum.
Pasta salad with balsamic dressing,
grape tomatoes, green onions, and feta cheese.
Steamed asparagus,
and fresh strawberry-banana salad.

Happy Spring!

2010-03-24T12:35:00.003-06:00

The crocus are the first sign of spring every year.
love 'em!

Moab Utah Off-Road 4x4 Tour » Hummer Tours

2010-03-19T15:39:00.000-06:00

Moab Utah Off-Road 4x4 Tour » Hummer Tours

Recharged!

2010-03-03T14:13:00.004-07:00

I am a big fan of this lady and her recipes!
Really, really delicious, good-for-you recipes.
This is her new edition. It's "recharged."
I need to be recharged too!

Fruity ramblings

2010-03-02T14:51:00.008-07:00

When I see this, I think of several things:

1. Someone's been messing with my camera again. You know, someone little.
2. Another fruit snack wrapper didn't make it into the trash can. Again.
3. I never eat them. I hate fruit snacks. It might be helpful if I hated chocolate.
4. Why do I buy them if I end up picking up the wrappers off the floor? Good question.
5. Those little gummy globs stick to my teeth. I think that's why I hate them. Chocolate, on the other hand, does not.
6. My husband likes them, interestingly enough. He also doesn't like chocolate as much as I do. Hmmm.
7. I wish my carpet was a hardwood floor.
8. This picture was worth more than 110 words.

To my man

2010-03-02T14:10:00.002-07:00

I like you. I really, really like you.

Kisses, me

My friend, the ar-TEEST!

2010-02-15T10:37:00.001-07:00

Go here to find out how you can order your own custom set.
Lanmom is very good, and very fast!

Pics from Nicole's 19th Birthday

2010-01-23T09:13:00.004-07:00

One of the girls in the building
gave Nicole flowers and an awesome
birthday chalice!
She got these when her roomies and friends
made her breakfast.

Nicole's roommates went into her room at midnight with balloons
and sang to her.

Here they are with some friends in the building.

The cake her roommates baked and decorated
while we took Nicole out for dinner.

While she was gone to class,
they put 75 balloons on her bed!

**We were so impressed with these girls
and the care they took of Nicole
on her birthday.
Nicole said it was the best birthday ever!**

A Happy Birthday Wish!!

2010-01-20T09:18:00.002-07:00

Can she REALLY be 19?!?
Boy howdy. Time flies!

An early Valentine

2010-01-18T14:11:00.001-07:00

Saying "Happy New Year" with a new tradition

2010-01-01T16:42:00.004-07:00

Kids noticed someone had built a snowman on the ridge above our house.
So they decided to outdo it. :)

Jeff took them up on the ridge
along with Molly the dog.
They want it to be their new New Year's Day tradition.
I need good boots so I can go up with them next year.

New Year's Eve 2009

2009-12-31T18:25:00.002-07:00

The food!
I made Bratten's Clam Chowder,
and we enjoyed these little smokies,
crackers & cheese, and sourdough bread with it.

Libby asked to do a crazy face.
Her nose is covered in cream from licking the spatula.

I'm speechless. :)

Jeff's dad came out and enjoyed our meal with us.
We're glad he came!!

Molly likes English Trifle too.

Footlongs (in theory, anyway)

2009-12-30T19:22:00.005-07:00

One of my favorite things to make for dinner.
So easy, so simple, so yummy!
Buy a loaf of french bread at the grocer's...or make your own.
(I make two footlongs for this fam, so I buy/make two loaves).
Cut the loaf in half lengthwise.
Spread with mayo, mustard, etc.
Fill with your favorites. What you see here is
smoked ham, turkey, provolone cheese,
pickles, tomatoes, lettuce, and a few grinds
of sea salt and black pepper.
Slice up and enjoy--
You will have a sandwich that is approximately 16 inches long!

More Christmas morn

2009-12-27T18:32:00.005-07:00

Kids in their Christmas jammies.
Not sure where Nicole was,
but I do know she wasn't happy about the kids
waking her up early! :)
I wish you could see what Jared's shirt says.
"Dear Santa, I was framed!"
(classic Jared. LOL)
Let me just say that I am HATING
the flash on this camera about now!

Libby opening her big Santa gift...a baby doll with stroller.
I love Mia's face!

Mia opening her baby doll with baby carrier.

Christmas Morning at our house

2009-12-27T18:26:00.002-07:00

Sarah opening her little digital camera.

Jared showing off the Nerf machine gun he wanted REALLY BAD.

We had Jake thinking he wouldn't get a cell phone til he was 16.
Well, he's got one a little early.

Our college girl!

Little Santas

2009-12-27T18:24:00.003-07:00

Two cute little Santas getting ready for Christmas!
Libby was in the act of repeating, "Ho, Ho, Ho!"
as I snapped this picture.

Christmas Puzzle....

2009-12-27T18:22:00.001-07:00

...finished!
It was a little bit of a tough one, but we did it!

Christmas Puzzle

2009-12-24T09:00:00.003-07:00

Working on a cool puzzle:
Eric Dowdle's "Arches."
Want a cool puzzle like this? Costco.

Two days 'til Christmas!

2009-12-23T10:38:00.003-07:00

Libby's chain has been keeping track for us!

Neighbor Gifts 2009

2009-12-23T10:29:00.002-07:00

Found these "Family" cutouts,
painted them in glossy black,
and then distressed them with sandpaper.
I'm pretty happy at how they turned out
and hopefully the neighbors will be, too!

What really goes on at our house

2009-12-17T09:29:00.003-07:00

What you see is what you get. :)

They're cute and they don't talk back

2009-12-17T09:18:00.006-07:00

Gingerbread cupcakes I made for Grandma's party. Go here for the recipe.

Party @ Grandma's

2009-12-17T09:10:00.004-07:00

Nicole and Mia.

Sarah and cousin Eliza.

My sister "Mo."
Crazy and fun as ever!

Cousins playing Lincoln Logs.

Winter Wonderland

2009-12-17T09:06:00.003-07:00

First big snow of the season!
"I'm dreaming of a white Christmas..."

2009-11-30T10:45:00.001-07:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

We have a lot of trees...

2009-11-07T13:59:00.003-07:00

The pile is about as tall as Amelia!

Leaf bath, anyone?

This is only a fraction of the leaves that fell...
Jeff picked up most of them with the lawn mower.
And the trees aren't done,
so we'll be doing this again. :)

Jake's Break

2009-11-03T19:11:00.003-07:00

Jake's wrist before splinting.

The break is the jagged gray line that extends from the
lower end of the pic on the left side, across to the right,
and then up the middle to the growth plate
(the darker gray arch at the top of the pic).

Enjoying his new accessory.
Friday is casting day.
You can bet the cast will be RED!
(Never pass up an opportunity to promote the Utes!)

**What happened, you say?
Jake was rollerblading in his 6th period gym class
and got knocked off balance by another kid.
His wrist immediately swelled up
and the teacher told him he better have a doctor look at it.
Well, Jacob went to 7th period.
Then came out to the car for carpool
(I was driving today)
and said NOT A WORD
until we got home.
Then he said, "Look at my wrist."
Well, yeah, Jake!!

Halloween Fun

2009-11-03T19:08:00.003-07:00

Here's the gang before we set out for tricks and treats.

Here's me and my boyfriend:
"The Man With Hair."
LOL

Conference Magnets

2009-10-28T19:44:00.003-06:00

Okay, before anyone thinks that I did these,
I'll confess that I didn't. I had nothing to do with them, unfortunately.
(I only WISH I had thought of it.)
One of our neighbors dropped them by today.
There are 38 quotes from this last conference,
all individually laminated
with magnets glued on the back.
How awesome is this?!
Especially on a day when you've had a migraine for two days
and your hubby is WAY STRESSED about work.

What awesome neighbors.

Trophy

2009-10-26T09:23:00.002-06:00

I finally did a little hunting of my own.
*wink, wink*

Pretty in Pink

2009-10-21T17:29:00.004-06:00

The men of this family each had a tag for one of these.
Alas, they didn't get one of these.
But they did get to go here:

Coral Pink Sand Dunes.
They are beautiful in their own right.

Jake's Jazzy Turn

2009-10-21T17:17:00.002-06:00

Cute girls!

2009-10-12T18:07:00.003-06:00

Sarah and Amelia's school pictures.
The others will follow soon!

Dedicated to Nicole

2009-10-12T10:08:00.003-06:00

This girl is doing VERY well in college!
We are so proud of her for making good choices
and working hard.
She came home this weekend
and she was DELIGHTFUL to have around!

Mia-Mini-Mandonelle!

2009-10-10T09:20:00.003-06:00

Mia danced at the BHS football game last night,
and did an AWESOME job!

Opportunities

2009-10-08T16:22:00.005-06:00

This is a concept pic of the new Airbus A350,
set to compete with Boeing's Dreamliner.

What has it got to do with us?
Jeff just got a new assignment at work--
as a Master Scheduler for parts for this new plane.

It's a lot of work, but an exciting opportunity!
Aside from that, the only other thing I can really say about it
is that my hubby is AWESOME.

Homemade Kettle Corn

2009-10-06T20:31:00.003-06:00

I made two batches of this tonight...the first recipe I thought could be improved upon, so I tweaked it and made my own. The second turned out AWESOME!

Homemade Kettle Corn

Pop 1/2 c. of corn kernals and set aside.

In a saucepan, combine 2 T. oil, 2 T. water, and 2/3 c. white sugar. Stir as it comes to a boil. Just before it boils, throw in 2 T. butter and melt it in. When it boils, set your timer for 3 1/2 minutes, and let it simmer. Remove from heat and pour over popcorn while stirring popcorn. It will appear to clump together, but keep stirring and as it cools it will not clump anymore. Don't forget to salt it!

Totally Addicting Chex Mix (it's a good thing I made it to take somewhere!)

2009-09-30T17:14:00.003-06:00

A friend gave me this recipe,
and I tweaked it a little.
Here's my version!

17 oz. box Rice Chex
2 c. crispy chinese noodles
2 c. coconut
1 c. slivered almonds

Mix together in a LARGE bowl. (I do mean LARGE.)

In a saucepan, melt together:
1 c. butter
1 1/3 c. corn syrup
1 1/3 c. sugar

Bring to a boil over medium heat.
Boil for 4 minutes. Pour over cereal mixture,
stirring to evenly coat.
Taste, and then try to stop eating it. :)

Sad news

2009-09-24T18:42:00.002-06:00

We had to get rid of our chickens!!! :(

In short, one of our neighbors complained about them (who knows why?) and so the city said we had to get rid of them, as they are technically not legal...which we didn't realize when we got them.
We sold Duchess, Timi, Daisy, Helga, and Daphne to a nice lady who REALLY wanted them, and the other two went to a family in our ward who have a ranch in another city where chickens are legal. Hopefully, they are all enjoying their new digs, but we miss them and our fresh eggs!

Time for a taste of fall!

2009-09-24T18:21:00.004-06:00

Here's my very own recipe for Apple Spice Cake.
Made it up myself, and it turned out so yummy!

Apple Spice Cake
~~~~~~~
1 box spice cake mix
4 eggs
1 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. oil
1/3 c. apple butter (not applesauce!)
1 medium Granny Smith Apple, peeled and chopped

Mix cake mix, eggs, buttermilk, oil, and apple butter on low speed
for 30 seconds, and then beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
Fold in chopped apple.
Pour into greased bundt pan, and bake at 350 for 38-40 minutes,
or until cake springs back when touched.
Cool 10 minutes, and invert onto serving plate.
Glaze with:
1/4 c. melted butter
1 t. vanilla
1/2 t. cinnamon
1 c. powdered sugar
1 T. milk
~~~~~~~~~
Enjoy this taste of fall!!

Birthday yumminess

2009-09-14T12:48:00.003-06:00

Cupcakes are one of my favorite things.
The perfectly sized, cutest little bit of yumminess.
Love 'em.

Mia's bug

2009-09-14T12:46:00.003-06:00

Mia and Daddy worked hard on this all weekend!
It's Mia's first project of the school year.
I think it turned out AWESOME!

Remember

2009-09-11T12:50:00.002-06:00

Happy Birthday to me!

2009-09-11T09:34:00.003-06:00

Two of the cutest gals brought me this cupcake.
Thanks Kim & Kayla!!

My hubby's gifts to me.
The book was no surprise, as I've been asking for it
since it came out a month ago.
(Nothing like big hints!)
But the ring was a BIG surprise!
I don't know how he does these things!
Again, I have an AWESOME hubby.
He's the best!

21st Anniversary!

2009-09-11T09:26:00.003-06:00

My hubby is awesome!
A box of chocolates came with these flowers.
What more could a girl want?

Salsa

2009-09-11T09:22:00.004-06:00

Since we kept the deer away from 90% of the tomatoes,
I was able to can some of this, too.
Yummy!

Balloon Stampede

2009-09-11T09:18:00.004-06:00

Balloons over Antelope Island.
That was a fun evening!

Look at these Beauties!

2009-09-11T09:14:00.003-06:00

We got some lovely nectarines this year.
And they taste as good as they look!

I turned some of them into this.
Nectarine Jam.
Yum.

Ginormous egg!!

2009-08-29T08:51:00.005-06:00

Timi, our Black Australorp, laid this big egg a couple days ago.
It's seriously the biggest egg I've ever seen.
Dang! That must've hurt. :)

This is what was inside that big egg: a double-yolker!!
So awesome. And Jeff said it tasted good, too.

Simply Awesome!

2009-08-26T09:29:00.002-06:00

Last Sunday's sunset through the rain clouds.
Breathtaking!

There are no words for this!

2009-08-26T09:27:00.002-06:00

Soft egg

2009-08-26T09:21:00.003-06:00

It's hard to tell from the pic,
but this is what's called a "soft egg."
The shell isn't calcified, so it's kinda rubbery.
We have a new layer who laid this one yesterday
on the ground in the run.
The two who weren't laying are the Barred Rock
and the Ameracauna. The Ameracauna lays blue-green eggs,
so it had to have been the Barred Rock who laid this one.

Chickens

2009-08-26T09:09:00.002-06:00

Daphne in her favorite nesting box, about to lay an egg for us.

Rosie and Duchess.

Timi, the first to start laying.

Zoe, who started laying a few days ago.
She's our only chicken that lays white eggs.

A 3-egg day

2009-08-17T21:59:00.002-06:00

We now have 3 out of our 7 chickens laying~~woot woot!!
The top 3 eggs are Timi's last 3,
and the bottom two are the newest layers.
The one on the left I found early this morning in the dirt
(meaning somebody hadn't figured out how to use the nesting boxes)
The 2nd one for today was one of Timi's.
Later in the afternoon, I went down to check the chickens,
and just as I got down there, my Buff Orpington (Duchess)
was just standing up over a still-warm egg.
You can see that it's pinker than the others.
Nope, she didn't use a nesting box either.
Timi needs to teach them how!! :)

College Girl

2009-08-17T09:35:00.003-06:00

Nicole's desk.

Nicole putting away her clothes.
I hope this lasts! LOL

An Aggie and her "kitchen-in-a-box."
When she got that thing, you'd have thought we'd given her a million dollars!

Looking out her living room windows.

Egg #3

2009-08-10T16:04:00.003-06:00

So here's egg #3 (brown, of course)
next to a store-bought extra large egg.
It's probably equivalent to a medium egg.
And this one was laid IN THE NESTING BOX!!
That means those cute little chickens are learning! :)