Happy Mom = Happy Life

Resolutions

2012-01-07T22:13:00.000-08:00

I'm usually ready to make resolutions for the upcoming year in December, but this year I feel like it's taken me all by surprise.
I feel content with my life right now, but some things could be better. We can't grow if we don't give ourselves goals so here I go making 3 resolutions (so I won't be so disappointed next December when I remember I forgot about them by March) for this year:

Read More- Try to read at least one book a month. I'm not giving myself a number, I just want to read at least 2 handfuls of books I have in mind.
Temple - Just go once a month. Want to come?
FHE- Make this a habit for Jackson to grow up with. Even if it's 2 minutes.

So there. Nothing special. Nothing too crazy. Just things I should be able to accomplish with a little work.

What are your resolutions??

New Year's Eve

2012-01-03T20:01:00.000-08:00

New Year's Eve is big in my family.
It's part of the culture.
We get dressed up, invite the whole world over, make extravagant amounts of food, and get really loud.
Growing up, my whole extended family would get together and the party didn't end until the next morning.
This year was a little more intimate. And everyone hated it.
My brother wasn't here to celebrate. Half my cousins were doing their own things and it just wasn't the same.

Nevertheless, we still managed to have a good time.
We played board games, still ate a lot of food, listened to really loud music and ate our 12 grapes at midnight.

We're hoping this year brings us new friendships so we can have more people to party with.

outfit post: Jackson edition

2011-12-27T21:00:00.000-08:00

Shirt-Target Sweater- Tjmaxx Jeans-Levis Shoes-Vans

Jackson sporting new clothes.
There is something about skinny jeans on a tiny skinny boy that makes me weak in the knees.

Christmas Morning

2011-12-26T21:30:00.000-08:00

All of a sudden Christmas became magical again for me this year.

The look of my little boy's face as he opened his most favored gift brought on a wave of emotions.

But the emotion that was the strongest was my Saviors love for me.

I saw it everywhere that day as I spent time with my loved ones, opened gifts that I loved but didn't really need, and as I held my little family.

I was very overwhelmed with gratitude this Christmas.

I have a lot and very often I take that for granted.

Jackson spent all day playing with train sets and cars with his dad and I smiled a lot.

Merry Christmas and may we all remember what this beautiful day represents.

Temple Square

2011-12-24T12:17:00.000-08:00

It never really feels like we're taking full advantage of Christmas time until we go see the lights at Temple Square. It's beautiful, and though they have cut way back on the lights, it's fun to go out there see them and admire the beautiful architechture of the temple.. This year we went with James' sister's family and had such a good time. After some delightful dinner at Nauvoo Cafe, we strolled through the temple grounds and as we froze our little tushies off.

As you can tell, Jackson and Aerin weren't even given the opportunity to be cold. Jackson had so many layers on that the straps on the stroller didnt fit.

He's such a cutie.

Christmas time

2011-12-21T20:24:00.000-08:00

I always love this time of year.
The lights and the music.
The sneaky gift buying and wrapping of presents.

The presents under the tree waiting to be opened.

The snow (which I hate driving in but it's not so bad looking at it from the inside).
And of course, late nights drinking steamy hot drinks with my love.

Life is good.
head cold and all.

Christmas Snob

2011-12-08T20:39:00.000-08:00

James asked me tonight what kind of stuff I wanted in my stocking and I wasn't even offended that after 4+ years of marriage the man might still be having some troubles.

You see, James does an amazing stocking. He's an expert, if I may say so myself.
He's creative and wraps every little thing so that everything is still a surprise.

He gets funny candy bars in the shape of santa and candy canes.

Everything looks as if Santa prepared it himself.

He's that good.

But here's the thing: I'm not your usual stocking person.

I love all the little things he puts in there but when it comes to the candy and cookies and any treat wrapped in plastic, I'd rather pass.

If you take me to the store to pick out a treat, I usually go straight for the artisan bread or the french bread.

So after a hunt for some miscellanious items that James needed we decided that I'm your stuck-up-too-snobby-for-your-awesome-regular-stocking person.

Let's just say that I would probably be the happiest girl if my stocking contained mini cheese rounds, croissants, a large bag of mandarine oranges and a big stack of magazines.
Who's with me??

10 things that are making me happy at the moment

2011-12-05T13:36:00.000-08:00

James closing the closet door (without me asking) before we go to bed to ease my OCD tendencies.
A hot cup of Pero. If you havent tried it, you haven't lived.

Jackson's cheesy smiles. All day long.

Fun songs to choreograph for my ladies.

A steamy burning-hot shower.

Scarves! They will forever be my favorite winter piece.

Seeing old friends and catching up.

Picking out presents for other people.

Getting christmas ornaments out to decorate our tree.

Wool socks.

What's making YOU happy lately?

Chicken Enchiladas

2011-12-03T13:44:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe on Pinterest and decided to try it.

It's life changing. I dont like things that are spicy so I did change the recipe to my liking but I'm sure if you followed it to a tee it would still rock your world.

Chicken Enchiladas with Red Chile Sauce

Adapted from Pink Parsley

1 medium onion, chopped fine

! green pepper, chopped fine
1 teaspoon canola oil
3 medim cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
3 teaspoons sugar
1 15-oz can tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 large tomato, chopped
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 chicken breasts sliced into 4 thin pieces)
1 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded (I used a mexican cheese blend)
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
12 (6-inch) soft corn tortillas
cooking spray
salt and ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425.

Combine the onion, green pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and oil in a large saucepan. cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the onions and peppers have softened, 8-10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and sugar, and cook until fragrant, less than 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce, water, and chopped tomato. Bring to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, 5 minutes.

Nestle the chicken into the sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until chicken is cooked through (thickest part reaches 160 degrees), about 12-20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate, and set aside to cool.

Strain the sauce through a strainer into a medium bowl, pressing the onion mixture to extract as much liquid as possible. Transfer the onions to a large bowl and set aside. Season sauce with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add to the onin mixture, and add 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce, 1 cup cheese, and the cilantro. Toss to combine.

Stack the tortillas on a plate and cover with plastic wrap; Microwave on high until warm and pliable, 40-60 seconds. Spread the tortillas on a clean work surface, and spoon 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture evenly down the center of each.

Tightly roll each tortilla and lay seam-side down in a greased 9x13 inch baking dish.Lightly spray the tops of the enchiladas with cooking spray. Place in the oven, uncovered, for about 7 minutes, or until the tortillas start to brown slightly (skip this step if you don't like the crunch).

Reduce heat to 400. Remove enchiladas and pour sauce evenly on top. Top with the remaining cheese. Cover dish with foil, and bake an additional 20 minutes, or until heated through.

Remove foil and bake another 5 minutes, until cheese browns. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.Serve with sour cream, guacamole, salsa, additional cilantro, etc.

Snow

2011-12-02T13:25:00.000-08:00

I'm pretty sure this is the best winter I've ever experienced here in Utah. The days are mildly cold and a scarf is usually enough to keep you warm. The days are sunny and perfect to play outside with a curious little boy. About a month ago we had a snow storm during the night so the next morning we let Jackson experiece snow for the first time. I'm not sure if he liked it.

I love him.

The first step

2011-12-01T13:12:00.000-08:00

The first step is admitting I have a problem.
At some point this year I sat down and decided that I was going to bring my blog back to life and not abandon it like I had been.
But here's the thing. Once you start a bad habit, it's a pretty intense process to brake it.
I'll sit down to write and realize that CRAP, I haven't checked my Pintrest for half a day. People can post a lot of things while you sleep.
Or I'll dress nice for once and decide I should take a picture but realize quickly that I don't know what to do with my hands. So I go to pinterest and check what the ladies are doing with their hands in their pictures and OOH, cookies! I'll make those.

We're seeing a pattern here, right? PINTEREST and ADD are taking over my life.
In a good way, for the most part. It gives me ideas and makes me want to cook delicious dinners for my family and copy fashion bloggers and their saucy outfits, but it has also made me neglect the blog.

So here's an outfit. Because I actually got dressed AND put makeup on. And my inlaws backyard makes me look like I'm a decent at taking weird pictures of myself. and my dress has pockets, so my hands are taken care of.

Lets try this whole writing a blog thing again, shall we?

scarf- Kohl's, dress- Shade thrifted, belt-Kenneth Cole-Plato's, tights- Ralph Lauren TJ Maxx, boots-Target

10 minutes

2011-11-04T22:14:00.000-07:00

I should have taken a picture of this, because it looked as delicious as it tasted. It was a complete experiment because I had a recipe for Sun dried Tomato Alfredo sauce over cheese ravioli that I could not find ANYWHERE. So I made a cheesy tomato sauce with chicken that was to die for.

Creamy Tomato Cheese Ravioli

1 bag frozen ravioli
1 bottle basil pasta sauce (I bought a fancy one because I price matched it)
2 oz cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tomato, finely chopped
1/4 onion, finely chopped
1 chicken breast, cooked and shredded (left over chicken really does the trick for this one)
Garlic powder

While you're waiting for water to boil for ravioli, start on the sauce. In a separate sauce pan, Saute onions in a tiny bit of olive oil until translucent. Next, pour in bottle of pasta sauce and all other ingredients. Season with garlic powder (I love me some garlic powder).
Dump in ravioli into boiling water according to directions on bag. drain and put back into sauce pan.
Once sauce thickens and turns an orange color, take off heat and pour over ravioli.
Wah-lah! You got yourself a 10 minute meal from prep time to finish that is sure to satisfy MOST eaters at your house!
You can't beat ten minutes. Or deliciousness.

Little moments

2011-10-28T14:38:00.000-07:00

Jackson was being completely independent, exploring every square inch of the park.

I started getting really emotional about how fast time is flying, when out of the nowhere he yelled,

"Mommy,"

raised his hand to mine, smiled, and held on as tight as he could.

It's like he knew.

Breakfast Cookies

2011-10-24T15:16:00.000-07:00

Jackson wakes up every morning asking for cookies AS IF he's ever had cookies for breakfast or AS IF I'm going to give in one day. Well, the boy knows me well because I have given in and let the boy have a breakfast cookie.

I first heard of breakfast cookies from my SIL and after some minimal changes (mostly just adding more stuff) I came up with these!

They have tons of fiber and protein and I even got carrots and craisins in there so its a pretty rounded meal we have here.

Breakfast Cookies

1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. smooth peanut butter
1 C brown sugar

1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 c. water
1 egg
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour

3 Tbsp. flax seed

1 C rolled oats
1 C Craisins (you can use raisins or choc chips too)

1 C Carrots, shredded

2 C Bran Cereal

1 C Cheerios

Preheat oven to 350. Beat butter and PB on high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking soda and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl. Beat in water, egg and vanilla. Beat in flour until combined. Beat in oats and flax seed (you may have to do this by hand if it's getting too thick for the mixer), then fold in cereal, craisins, and carrots. Drop by scant 1/4 cupfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Maybe flatten slightly. Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Err on the side of undercooking so they stay softer. Store in tightly covered container.

They are super delicious and healthy so when your little boy wakes up asking for cookies, you can just hand him the freakin cookie and both start your day a little happier.

Dieciocho

2011-10-05T15:36:00.001-07:00

Jackson is 18 months people.

This is by far my favorite age.

He's funny and social and is usually having a good time no matter what.

I'm pretty sure his vocabulary exceeds 40-50 words.

He repeats everything you say, like wasssup and COOL!

REFUSES to eat anything unless he's feeding himself.

Uses a fork and a spoon like a champ.

Knows the sound every animal makes (ok, maybe not all animals but a lot).

Likes counting to 5 (but every number after 2 is still 2).

Loves pointing to different parts of his body.

Loves trains with a passion and wants to watch youtube videos. all. day. long.

All in all he's fabulous. Such a little person with such a big personality. I honestly don't understand what I ever did with all that free time before he came along but every minute planned with him is an adventure. I cant believe my little tiny boy who had no will to live and never wanted to eat when he was born is now a happy little boy ready for anything that comes his way. I've learned many lessons being Jackson's mother and one that has stuck from the very beginning is that he only gets better with age.

I love you Jackson.

Dressing it up

2011-10-03T21:35:00.000-07:00

I'm back!
I should begin by apologizing for the long break but we had a lot of stuff going on and I could not keep up with it all.

Here's what happens when you dont half of the ingredients for some delicious dressing. You just look in your pantry and take out things that sound like it would do the trick and then you just wing it.

Cilantro Lime Dressing

half a bunch of cilantro, chopped (or the whole bunch, depends on how cilantro-y you want it to be)
1 dry ranch dressing packet
1 C milk
1 C mayo
3 T lime juice
1 small can of chopped green chiles
garlic powder to taste.

Combine all and blend. You can stop there or add some hot sauce if you're feeling a little adventurous.
I usually am not.

Pour over your favorite salad, dip chips in it, or eat it by the spoonfulls.
I might have tried all of the above.

DIY Burlap Wreath

2011-08-08T16:28:00.000-07:00

My neighbor and I decided that we will have craft night once a month now. Our goal is to find inexpensive DIY projects and go to town on them.

We've both been drooling over burlap wreaths all over the place lately and decided that it couldn't be too hard. So we made our own!

It was a little bit time consuming, but very inexpensive. The only thing I'd still like to do to it is make a fuller bow. I think that will make it a thousand times better.

The only materials you need are:

1-2 wire hangers (depending on the size of wreath you want)

Burlap cloth

Ribbon.

all you have to do is unwind the hanger. Make it into a circular or oval shape.

Cut burlap into strips about 3 ft long that are about 3 inches wide. Then weave the burlap through the hanger. I'd recommend not doing it in a straight line but actually maneuvering through the burlap for a better looking wreath. If you have any questions, just ask and I'd love to answer them!

We spent $10 on BOTH wreaths and we already had ribbon and hangers.

That beats the wreaths at Target going for $30.

Lemon Veggie Chicken

2011-08-08T16:17:00.000-07:00

I'm only ending this break because I made this delicious chicken in the crockpot.
I had a lot of produce that was close to its death date and we're moving so I had to use it.
Yeah we're moving. And I'm a jerk for not telling you before. I'll go into that later.
For now, just enjoy this easy recipe.

Lemon Vegetable Chicken
from: out of my butt

3 large frozen Chicken Breasts
1 onion
3 lemons
1 red pepper
1 zucchini
2 roma tomatoes
3 small carrots
1 can organic chicken broth
1/2 C cream cheese (I would have done an 8 oz block now)
1/4 C greek yogurt
salt, garlic powder and pepper to taste.

Spray crockpot. Put chicken in first, then chopped veggies. In a separate bowl, combine broth, cheese, yogurt and seasonings together, taste and pour over chicken and veggies. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Remove lemons. Season a little more. Eat whole breasts or shred and serve it over rice.

Easy! Now the hard part is getting my husband to eat all those veggies.

Break

2011-05-22T22:04:00.000-07:00

Learning our animals, reading about bears in underwear and building things with blocks is hard work.

Sometimes a little boy's got to take a much deserved break.

2011-05-22T21:58:00.000-07:00

I don't take these moments for granted.

ever.

Jackson is a busy boy and barely has time for cuddles with mom.

So, when nap time is over, and signing time is on,

you better believe I'm right there soaking it all in.

Brady Bunch

2011-05-22T21:50:00.000-07:00

I could tell you I instantly pulled him away from the tv, but I'd be lying.

I was surfing through channels and couldnt find anything on, so I left it on The Brady Bunch

while I got some stuff from the kitchen.

Two seconds later, this little boy had placed his car right infront of the tv, got up on it, and was completely consumed by this show.

I let him watch a good 5 minutes before I got all crazy and started thinking of the effects a tv this huge can have so close to a tiny human.

But it sure was cute.

Mother's Day

2011-05-08T21:36:00.000-07:00

I have moved all over the place and have been able to make great aquaintances, but very few meaningful and lasting friendships.

At times it has been hard for me to lack that bond with a group of women that many are able to have, but I always remember that I have my mom.

I cant stop thanking my Heavenly Father today for the mother he chose to give me.

She is my best friend, and often while I'm with her I remember that many people go a lifetime without being able to experience a friendship like ours.

And in those times, I realize that lack of friendships is not that problematic after all.

I love you, mom.

Mother's Day for me

2011-05-08T21:05:00.000-07:00

This only being my second mother's day, I'm still getting used to all the attention.

We had early church, but James made me a HUGE brunch (which I wish I could say didnt eat it all), made me a beautiful card, and got me pretty flowers.

I love being recognized for everything I do every day as a mother.

Jackson really is a blessing and I cant be thankful enough for having him in our lives!

I dont think you're ready for this jelly.

2011-05-02T14:19:00.000-07:00

Don't be jealous about all this jelly I get to handle everyday.

I got myself a a full 20 pounds right here.

FOOD ISSUES

2011-05-02T14:11:00.000-07:00

I have some type of emotional attachment to food.
Gross? definitely, but I don't know how to stop it.
Neither James or I are very big leftover people so you'd think I wouldn't have a problem getting rid of food. BUT I DO. I hold on to it because heaven forbid I throw away perfectly good food that some homeless starving child could be eating.
So then it sits in my fridge until it grows wings and gets a driver's license.
And this weekend I filled a whole garbage bag full of old food.
Farewell, my friends. At least now I know you're too gross to be eaten by even aliens.
So I don't feel as bad.

But seriously, having my fridge this clean is heavenly.

Complimentary colors

2011-04-28T10:30:00.000-07:00

Cardi: Salt Lake Market
Dress: Thrifted
Belt: Thrifted
Shoes: Nine West

I bought this dress a couple of weeks ago on an outing with my mom.
After a couple of little changes with the sewing machine, it turned out to be the perfect little dress for Easter.
At the last minute I paired it up with this cardigan. Seemed like an odd (though complimentary) combination but really loved the end product.

Easter

2011-04-28T10:18:00.000-07:00

Easter was such a beautiful day.

From start to end.

I've yet to figure out how the easter bunny works so James got Jackson and I baskets full of funny things.

We tried so hard to get pictures but this was about as good as it gets with Jackson. I'm taking one for the team.

I have a little family. A beautiful family that reminds me how beatiful this world can be.

I'm so happy.

I hope you had a Happy Easter.

Certified

2011-04-19T14:29:00.000-07:00

Some of you may be wondering why I have been neglecting this little blog of mine.

and there is one reason.

and this little reason is probably why I have been neglecting MOST things lately.

I recently got licensed to teach Zumba and I have been working really hard to teach as soon as possible.

Most days I only have time to eat, take care of jackson, and feed my husband.

The rest of the time is taken.

So, forgive me.

I'll try to put in a little time just for you guys :)

Posing with the famous Lindsey Taylor

New Zumba friends!

Mismatched

2011-04-14T10:34:00.000-07:00

Here is Jackson with an outfit Daddy put together. And it made me smile.

BRINNER

2011-04-14T10:23:00.000-07:00

We had delicious german pancakes for dinner the other day.

I swear that thing never gets old.

Of course, James would have been happy with a plate full of bacon.

But I'm doing my best not to have his arteries clogged by the age od 28.

Heels Vs. Grossness

2011-04-01T22:32:00.000-07:00

I wish I had the motivation some other women had to get ready.

I went to the park yesterday and there was a girl with two kids,

running everywhere... in a cute skirt and heels.

But here is the thing... there is a line.

And that line is crossed when you are running around in heels.

In a playground.

I, on the other hand, was on the complete opposite side of the spectrum.

In a very fashionable white tee and black sweat pants.

No make up and my hair on the very top of my head.

Because you guys, the class just POURS out of me.

Jackson James

2011-03-30T22:04:00.000-07:00

You are one.

I can't believe it's been 365 days since I saw your sweet face.

You've definitely given me a run for my money,

but I wouldn't change a second of it.

You are the very purpose of my life.

and I am so happy I get to spend it loving you.

Happy Birthday my sweet boy!

Keep smiling and making me the happiest mom in the world.

Crock Pot Lasagna

2011-03-29T14:49:00.000-07:00

guys, I made this recipe a couple of weeks ago and it was delicious. I didn't make any changes or add anything and it was perfect. Next time, I may try adding ground beef to the sauce and seasoning it a little more. But try it. It's good. Real good.

Recollection

2011-03-28T21:25:00.000-07:00

This is what I looked like a year ago (take a week).

And I felt like I could die.

Time flies!

Sunny Sunday

2011-03-28T21:09:00.000-07:00

Sunday I let the mane out.

I don't usually take advantage of my curls but when you have thirty minutes to get 3 people ready, you take what you can get.

I had a little fun with pattern in this outfit. The skirt is a very small plaid but it seemed to work well with the floral. I really loved it!

And sorry for the quality of these pictures. My husband was yelling, "work it!" and it seems we didn't get one picture that wasn't a little blurry from all the laughing.

P.S. I don't know what to do with my face when I take a close up picture of it. So yeah.

Cardigan-Old Navy

Floral blouse- F21

Skirt- Banana Republic

Shoes- Nine West

Gem and phlegm rhyme (as in some of you may gag)

2011-03-24T20:20:00.000-07:00

I know it gets lame when people just brag about their husbands.
And I usually try to keep it to a minimum.
But I've got myself a gem.

He doesnt mind coming home to me in a gray suit.
and by that I mean a gray XXL pair of sweats and coordinating sweatshirt.
with my hair a hot mess.
With all of the contents of our dishwasher on the floor (thank you jackson),
and carpet full of cracker dust from jackson's dinner.
With 4 different piles of clothes on the floor that needed to be washed
but didn't.

and that's just the tip of the iceberg.
there's so much that's wrong with me.
yet he finds ways to love me anyway.

I don't see me ever making it without him.

Leggings are my best friends.

2011-03-20T20:02:00.000-07:00

I didnt make it to church today.
BUT I did leave the house (!)
and wanted to show you those boots I told you about.
I'm in love.

Headband- handmade
Jacket- Old Navy
Cardigan- Calvin Klein (Sam's Club for $4.88 HOT DANG!)
tshirt- Shade
Leggings- Target
Boots- Dolce Vita (Macy's)

Fancy Shmancy Saturday

2011-03-20T08:50:00.000-07:00

My mom is RS president.
They planned a big "gala" night for the ladies Saturday night and needed my photographing assistance. (because I'm so good and stuff. not.)
I had to show up dressy but not as much as the other ladies.
So I finally got the chance to pull out this skirt (!).
It's kind of shiny and inappropriate for most day events.
and most nights I have a little throw up on my right shoulder.
So here goes to 2 years of waiting to get you out on the town.

Sweater- Tj Maxx
Necklace- from China (like they bought it there), gifted
Skirt- Banana Republic
tights- target
peep-toe booties- Dollhouse via TJ

If TJ were a person, I'd totally make out with it.

Favorite song.

2011-03-19T22:39:00.000-07:00

BEST song of 2011.
Because yesterday was thursday
Today it is friday
we we we so excited.

Shoot me.

Random Saturday

2011-03-19T10:06:00.001-07:00

I had the most amazing, life changing piece of bread of my life.
Artichoke asiago pesto bread from Great Harvest.
I went it, stole a sample and didnt buy a thing.
I could die today and feel like I've lived after tasting it.

I'm never again buying boots at the beginning of the season.
I went to the mall yesterday and found $200 boots for $30.
And we are now a happy family.

I cant wait one more minute for spring to stay here for good.
Jackson has for the most part been the healthiest kid this winter,
but lately he's been on a cold run.
And I can't sleep if he's sick.
Is that just me?

The forecast called for rain today but its sunny as all get out outside.
Daybreak lake walk?
why yes, thank you!

My house needs spring cleaning.
But I don't do well at cleaning one thing at a time.
I have no patience.
Cleaning house = one day or I freak.
So we just have a messy house instead.
yay.

Making of a man

2011-03-18T10:03:00.000-07:00

His father is so proud.

Empanadas Venezolanas

2011-03-17T09:45:00.000-07:00

The other day I was craving something from home.

or maybe just Something unhealthy and delicious.

So I combined both thoughts and made empanadas.

I hadn't made them in a while, so it took a couple of tries before I got the hang of it.

But the end result was mouth watering.

I'm nice so I got you guys a recipe, though mine wasnt this one.

I made mine with a special flour to make arepas. It's just less work.

It's complicated but just come over and I'll teach you.

I will give you the filling recipe that I use and it's much easier than the one on the recipe.

It's easy and so savory, you will love it.

You could even make the filling and fill tacos with it or alongside rice.

OOH and you can even make some with just mozz cheese inside for the little ones.

SOO good.

Filling: Chicken

2 large chicken breasts, shredded

1 small onion, chopped

1 small green pepper, chopped

3 large tomatoes (2 chopped, one blended)

1/2 c water

couple of shakes of soy sauce

salt

garlic powder

Saute onion, pepper, and 2 tomatoes in olive oil until onion is translucent.

Add cooked shredded chicken and combine.

Add blended tomato, water, and soy sauce and simmer.

While it simmers, add salt and garlic to taste.

DONE!

Seriously, delish!

I ate too many.

and I don't even feel bad about it.

I'll take it.

2011-03-17T09:41:00.000-07:00

Found little bits of white on Jackson's mouth the other day.

Looked all over and found a slobbery half eaten crayon.

At least he's eating something.

Sunday Best

2011-03-14T11:45:00.000-07:00

Hello lovelies.
I skipped last Sunday mostly because I spent the day in sweats, wiping Jackson's boogers.
I know, it's a dream around here.
Booger is a funny word. It took me like ten times to type it right.

But we made it to church this Sunday and this is what I wore.

Shirt: Ross
Belt: thrifted
Skirt: thrifted
Shoes: Nine West

How beautiful was the weather yesterday anyway?

Shabby Apple

2011-03-14T10:56:00.000-07:00

Erica is hosting a little giveaway for Shabby Apple so head over there and leave a comment for a chance to win this beautiful dress!

Nap time

2011-03-11T17:08:00.000-08:00

This is Jackson's normal way of sleeping these days.

it's cute and funny.

But you want to know what else is funny?

My mom looked at this picture and got really excited.

She then told me that "they" say when you're baby sleeps like this,

it means the baby is wanting a little brother or sister.

good one mom, good one.

Playground

2011-03-11T10:11:00.000-08:00

We went to the park for the kids to play and explore...
but we adults got busy taking care of other things...
like who could go the fastest.

Um... where are our babies anyway?

JACKJACK

2011-03-09T21:30:00.000-08:00

You kick my trash every day.

But guess what?

I love you Jackson.

Blocks

2011-03-08T09:00:00.000-08:00

We play with Jackson's blocks a little too much.

after he goes to bed

We compete on making the highest tower.

the fastest.

And who can make the longest dominos.

with the coolest design.

And then we eat treats.

that make us fat.

That's what we do after FHE.

It brings us together.

And makes us feel really REALLY young.

Like 5 years old young.

Tribute

2011-03-07T19:49:00.000-08:00

I babysat my nieces today.

I had 3 children for about 5 hours.

My house looked like a tornado had hit it.

I had tid bits of cheerio throw up in my hair.

and I didn't even pee the whole time they were here.

So here's a tribute to all you mothers of multiple children out there.

You are not given enough credit.

And all those who manage to shower and look decent...

well, you must have magical powers.

Anyway, good job.

I survived it.

But it doesn't mean I liked it.

Maybe i'll concider more children later.

Like when Jackson is 10.

Treat Outing

2011-03-06T10:04:00.000-08:00

We went to Swirly Girls this weekend for a little (or large) afternoon treat.

They're a new bakery in daybreak that we've been frequenting lately.

Then we saw San Gelato Cafe across the street and decided we needed gelato too (oops).

I got Mango and James got apple pie... mine was better. Or at least that's what Jackson told me.

P.S. I'm so pale rhat I'm blending in to my surroundings.

Date night

2011-03-06T09:53:00.000-08:00

We've learned to get be creative with our date nights.
Friday night we made a fort (one of our favorite things to do), ate pizza, and watched all of our shows on the computer.

I love it because I don't feel like I'm in the same four walls as always and makes me feel like 10 again.

Spring is almost here

2011-03-04T13:59:00.000-08:00

Lately, we've taken advantage of every sunny moment.

For example, we were driving somewhere yesterday when I saw the sun poke through some clouds and I immediately pulled over at the nearest grassy area just so we could get out.

It's become a serious priority to feel the sun on our skin.

Lizzing at the moment

2011-03-02T20:51:00.000-08:00

I basically lizzed (laughed and whizzed) so hard at this, I cried I little bit.
Now I understand why making mom-friends is so dang hard.

The good thing though is that I will now be more aware not to compare my child to yours.
Mostly because Jackson acts like he's had 10 cups of coffee from the moment he wakes up until he gets a bath. And yours probably likes to cuddle nicely with you while you read him a book. LIKE OTHER ONE YEAR OLDS.

It's no big deal. I love rescuing my son from death's grasp... on an hourly basis.

Jackson- 11

2011-02-28T21:44:00.000-08:00

You are 11 months today.
You wave, HOLA!
You say mama, dadda, yeya (gramma)
You love kissing anyone that gives you a minute of their time.
You laugh the loudest when we're making fools out of ourselves.
You love people and are not afraid of showing it.
You have taken a couple of steps on your own and get really excited right after.
You constantly unload the dishwasher, the plastics drawer and any laundry I'm trying to fold.
You have such a strong will and yell at me all the time when you can't get what you want.
You have a love/hate relationship with food.
You still have no teeth, I love that gummy smile!
You sleep 12 hours at night. Thanks, buddy.
You are so curious and love to explore everything around you.

I'm so happy to call you my son!
I can't believe you're almost a year!

Sunday Morning Fashion Show

2011-02-27T22:24:00.001-08:00

What a week its been.

It has been fun and stressful, but at least it was short.

I took Jackson to the zoo for the first time,

(the pictures of Jackson at the zoo somehow got ERASED, so I'll have to take him again and redo our first trip to the zoo since I have none for memory's sake...sad)

James took me out on a long date,

I got offered a job,

I declined it,

I lost things,

I lost money,

and I lost my patience more than once.

Anyway, here's what I wore.

Except I'm lying because I changed my mind last minute and wore a dress and put my hair up but by then there wasnt enough time to take a picture.

So maybe I'll wear this next week.

cropped cardigan: TJ Maxx

Skirt: thrifted

Shoes: Ross

Everything is old so I don't know the prices but it all has to total less than $30 for sure.

my boy

2011-02-21T14:13:00.000-08:00

Jackson has been learning a lot of things lately.
He waves and talks all. day. long.
He is sooo close to walking.
and as of recently, when you sing happy birthday, he blows.

He's so fun to be around these days, it's hard to have a bad day.

Sunday Morning Fashion Show

2011-02-20T12:30:00.000-08:00

I don't buy it if it's not on sale.
I had that seed planted in me while I was still very little by my mother and I love her for that.
Why pay full price for something you can buy a few weeks later for half off?

So in an effort to show you both my findings and my style, I have decided to do a new post every week of what I wore on Sunday.
These are not new findings necessarily, just what's in my closet.

I've seen this little idea in other blogs and have loved seeing what people wear and how they put things together. So don't make fun of me for not knowing how to pose or what to do with my hands or face.

Sundays are sometimes the only days I put on some makeup and try something other than jeans or sweatpants on, so...this is both for you to see the deals I have found AND for me to maybe get on the ball and look less like Liz Lemon after her break-up with Carol.
I swear I saw a fanny pack the other day and concidered the positives.

What I wore:

Shirt- Ross $7
Skirt- Target $10
Tights- Tj Maxx $4
Shoes- Charlotte Russe $10

Total: $31

Arroz con Pollo

2011-02-19T21:54:00.000-08:00

This has been a really common meal in my life.

I remember the week after we got back from our honeymoon and we were back to reality and married, the thing I was most worried about was if I could cook arroz con pollo well.

It's really really hard to mess this up, so I did pretty good.

The thing I love most about this is that its all one dish and there is veggies, rice and chicken. So you don't really have to make anything to accompany it.

Other than dessert, of course.

Arroz con Pollo

2 Chicken Breasts, cubed small and seasoned

1/4 C water

2 C rice

4 C water

1 large carrot, shredded

1 tomato, chopped

half green pepper, chopped

half large onion, chopped

** This is best if cooked in a wok, or a deep frying pan!

Chop and shred veggies above and set aside.

Cut Chicken into small cubes or strips, season with salt, pepper and garlic powder and cook on large frying pan (in a little bit of EVOO). When it no longer sticks to pan, add 1/4 c (or less) of water and cook for 5 minutes over high heat, stirring constantly until almost cooked thoroughly. Remove chicken from pan and set aside. There will still be a little bit of water at the bottom of pan (if there is too much, pour a little bit out). Pour vegetables in pan and cook until onion is translucent. Add 2 cups of rice and cooked chicken and saute for a minute or two. Add 4 cups of water and mix. Taste, and add any additional salt or garlic powder; let boil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until water is absorbed.

Tadahh! Authentic latin food in a jiffy.

Dani's sushi dinner

2011-02-19T21:47:00.000-08:00

Daniel's birthday is on Valentine's day.

We didn't celebrate it that day, but we did on the weekend.

We went to Sakura, a sushi place in Orem. Dani's new favorite spot.

James is not a fan of sushi, so we shared teriyaki chicken; it was so so.

My brother did slip me some sushi when the waiter wasn't looking though.

Since it's all you can eat, you can't share.

It was sooo good.

But I'll probably never go there again. James hates all fish, cooked or raw.

So Sayōnara sushi! Until we meet again.

Wave

2011-02-15T21:59:00.000-08:00

For those of you who care,

For the last 2 weeks when you say HOLA!

my little boy waves at you and smiles.

And then my heart melts until its all goo.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Bread Bowls.

2011-02-15T21:34:00.000-08:00

Oh.
My.
Goodness.
These are DELISH.

I didn't have any broccoli, ham slices, heavy cream or swiss cheese, but I did have mozzarella cheese, ham chunks, milk and lots of love so that pretty much evens it out...right?! I recommend really seasoning the sauce. I did it with... you're right... garlic powder, pepper and salt. Seriously, we kept licking our fingers it was so good.
Try it! the yummy chicken and the crusty bread... SO good. I'd serve it with veggies on the side so you don't feel like a fatty afterwards.

Chicken Tacos

2011-02-15T21:21:00.000-08:00

I've been taking pictures of all the food I've been making and THEN I went ot download them and they were NOwhere to be found. NOWHERE. So now I only have 2 of the recipes I meant to post.

This isn't in our menu (oops), but we were out of milk and couldnt make Tuna casserole. But we did have yummy tortillas (from Costco, have you tried them? YUM), and chicken and stuff for all the fixin's. Yeah, I just said fixins.

Chicken Tacos
2 Chicken Breasts (each breast sliced in half to make 4 thin chicken breasts and cut into cubes)
1 small onion, chopped
2 T butter
Garlic powder
Salt
Flour tortillas
Lettuce, chopped
tomato, chopped
1 carrot, shredded
1 green onion, chopped finely.

In a frying pan, saute onions in butter until translucent. Add chicken and season with salt and garlic powder. Cook for 6-7 minutes or until not pink in the middle.
Put aside.
Cook tortillas as directed on the package and fill with chicken, lettuce, tomato, green onions and shredded carrots.
Put some type of dressing on it (ranch, salsa), I use my mom's. Enjoy! Don't eat too many.

Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T21:44:00.000-08:00

James proposed to me 5 Valentine's Days ago.

It was perfect. Magical. Romantic.

I was the happiest girl then, and I am the happiest girl today.

My Valentine sent me texts all day from work and made me find little gifts he had hidden around the house. Nothing big or fancy, just little things that made my heart melt. In return, I made us a fort and a delicious homemade dinner and we ate by candlelight. Did I mention he got us a chick flick to watch?

I've seriously got it so good.
Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Southwest Shredded Chicken 3 Bean Chili

2011-02-09T19:58:00.000-08:00

I'm getting pretty bored of my go-to recipes so when I saw this little twist on my normal taco soup, I had to give it a try.

I took it from here and didn't make any changes, except no hot sauce.

Now that I've tried it, I would have probably ommited one of the beans (it's too beany for my taste) and wouldnt have added so much cumin and chili powder. I like a lot of taste, but this just had a little too much.

Other than that, it was awesome! and James loved it.

Hope you like it too!

Applesauce Pancakes

2011-02-04T20:35:00.000-08:00

Jackson refuses to be a baby.
That little stinker wants to grow up too fast.
There's only one little problem... he has no teeth.
He's all tough on the outside, until he flashes you a gummy smile.

He refuses to eat any baby food, and thinks its funny to spit it out in your face.
Or all over your clothes.
He actually laughs about it.

So I've said goodbye to homemade soups and purees (months ago)
and I basically feed him anything he can handle.
To him, having no teeth is not a problem. If you saw him chew his food, you'd think he had a full set of teeth in there.

I was looking for some healthy recipes and I came across these Applesauce pancakes. Don't ask me where, because I don't remember.
But the point is that they're good. really good and really healthy.
I might have ate a couple myself.

Applesauce Pancakes

1 cup flour (I used half wheat, half regular)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon melted butter
1/2 cup milk
1 beaten egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups applesauce

Sift flour, salt and baking powder into a medium mixing bowl. Combine butter, milk and egg. Stir into dry ingredients. Add vanilla and applesauce; beat well. Spoon batter into a hot, well greased griddle.
This makes 10 pancakes (I spooned 1/4 C servings unto griddle)
**Freezes Well**

Also, I've heard you can substitute the applesauce with baby food to make it a good lunch food. I haven't tried it, but I did add fresh blueberries to the mix and they turned out great.

*Remember to top your pancakes with a little shredded cheddar cheese ;)

I'm raising my boy RIGHT!

I just realized I haven't posted another 2 week menu! Sorry!
I've already started it, but forgot to fill you guys in.
I've decided to try out a couple of new recipes because I was getting bored with all the ones we already have. I'm excited to share what I thought about them with you!

2 Week Menu
Southwest Shredded Chicken 3 Bean Chili & Corn Bread
Steak and Baked Potatoes
Baked Penne with Chicken, Broccoli, and Smoked Mozzarella
Pizza Bites
Chicken Cordon Blu Bread Bowls
Tuna Casserole
Arroz con Pollo
Lentils & Rice
Baked Potatoes

The Bach

2011-01-28T16:02:00.000-08:00

I know most people have cable these days.

But we don't.

We have too many shows to watch on regular tv already.

I'm not ashamed of watching Bachelor every monday night and totally enjoying it.

I love the drama and the fashion (mostly no-no's) and everything in between.

This season there is a CRAZY woman from Salt Lake City and I just love watching her be a total psycho. But by the end of each episode, I can barely contain myself because I mostly just want to punch her in the face.

And as IF Bachelor wasn't enough for her, I just saw her on a preview for a MOVIE.

Puke.

It's called "Midway to Heaven."

And I'll probably watch it (on redbox of course) so I can judge her the whole time.

If you haven't had the opportunity to watch this season, I recommend you do so.

It's an experience to be had.

Gloria/Sofia

2011-01-28T15:51:00.000-08:00

About a week ago, a friend told me that her sister in law said I reminded her of Gloria from Modern Family.

As much as I wish she meant I looked JUST like her, I know its because of the way I act.

She's from Colombia and a pretty big deal from where I come from so I've practically grown up watching this woman in spanish novelas, dorky movies that go straight to video, and now this awesome actress on Modern Family.

The funniest thing of it all is that every time we watch it, James is always laughing at something she does because it reminds him of me. The loudness, the craziness, and even sometimes the way she says things. I don't have that strong of an accent or anything, but I have my latin moments at home. a lot.

Basically the purpose of this post is to declare my girl crush on her.

so sue me.

Salsa Verde Tostadas

2011-01-26T14:10:00.000-08:00

I have made these before and last time they turned out really delicious.
This time, they were a little too spicy for my taste.
I guess it depends on your can of salsa verde. It was a normal one but for some reason this one had way more kick to it then they usually do (and I've gotten plenty of salsa verde).
You also have to know that I do not have a very high tolerance to anything spicy, so to some people this might not be spicy at all.
Anyway it was still pretty good so I still recommend it.
Here's the recipe.

The only thing I changed were the tortillas, because I had flour on hand. So I just warmed them up on a pan until they were a little crispy ANd I didn't stick them in the oven. I just heated up the mixture in the microwave (I had made it earlier in the day and was letting it marinade) and poured it over crispy tortillas.
I also put a little bit of my mom's perfect dressing (for anything) on top.
It's mayo, vinegar and salt. But I wouldn't recommend making it.
I don't really have a recipe for it (she just whips it up, surprise surprise) and I have tried making it a dozen times and it tastes disgusting.
So, I just make her make it for me. And it's delicious.
So try sour cream or even a little ranch on top, and it should do the trick.

Enjoy!

In the life of Jackson

2011-01-26T13:46:00.000-08:00

I really would love to show you a day in the life of my child, but honestly, I only have the energy to document one hour. Not because I'm lazy, but because in an hour Jackson is able to kick my trash.

He wakes up from a nap, heads over to the pantry and decides to dump out all of our plastic forks. So now they're all dirty and can no longer use them. But hey! He's got a new toy!

Heads over to the dishwasher and while I'm putting dirty things in, he's getting dirty things out! Don't worry, I always act I'm really happy for all of his help.

I'm making dinner and what better way to do it than using all of our pans? haha. He loves taking everything out of our cabinets. I guess I could put child locks on them, but it's actually helpful for him to entertain himself while I'm doing other things.

And last but not least, here he is climbing up the dishwasher. He's getting thisclose to getting up on the counter, which is a nightmare, but he also does this on the stove. a gas stove. so that's probably worse.

Anyway, there is an hour in my little boy's life (if not less).

I'm not really sure how I'm still alive every day by 7 when he goes to bed.

At least he's super cute while being such a little menace.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

2011-01-24T21:21:00.000-08:00

I've posted this recipe before.

It's easy and delicious! ANND you want to know what's genius?

I didn't want to make chicken for this recipe (I was beat) so I used left over chicken from my Chicken Quesadillas and I was able to not let that chicken go to waste ANND be super lazy and still make an awesome dinner.

I didn't even really feel a different flavor to the pizza because of my chicken alteration, if anyone was wondering.

So go ahead, put on your pj pants and relax. Dinner can be soo easy!

Gotta love lazy cooking!

Number 3

2011-01-21T14:05:00.000-08:00

yesterday was my princess' birthday.

I can't believe she's 3 already.

She couldn't be happier about her cake and all the attention.

I love you sofi.
Stop growing.

Chicken Quesadillas

2011-01-21T13:57:00.000-08:00

The other day we were at my sister-in-law's house, and she made these. So I decided to copy her.

Chicken Quesadillas
flour tortillas (or you could make them wheat!)
5 large chicken breasts, frozen
1/2 bottle salsa
1 c corn
1 c Beans
Cheddar cheese
and some butter

Put chicken breasts in crockpot and let them cook for about 6 hours on low.
Once its cooked through, remove fat andwater from crockpot and season chicken to your liking (you guessed, salt, pepper, garlic powder)
Pour salsa over chicken, as well as corn and beans.
Let it all heat up for about 30 minutes.

Now, pour some chicken mixture and some shredded cheddar cheese on a tortilla, and fold.
put a little butter on the outside and heat them up on a pan until golden brown, flip and repeat.
Eat up!

It makes a bunch of the chicken which is great for left overs and lunches for the next couple of days.

Cheater

2011-01-21T13:43:00.001-08:00

I've been cooking, don't worry.

Just haven't had time to get on and show you.

Jackson had a little cold this week, which he then transfered on to me.

It was joyous. Really.

Anyway. This wasn't in my menu.

But James felt like it, and I really wasn't going to argue because it's good and I didn't have to buy any extra stuff to make it.

BBQ Chicken, Rice and Broc

There really is no recipe for this. Make the rice as it tells you on the package. Steam some broccoli and sprinkle some salt on it.

And chicken. Well season chicken with salt, pepper and garlic powder and brown on pan (about 6 minutes on each side?). When it's almost ready, add some bbq sauce to cover chicken and about 1/4 c of water. Put the lid on it and simmer on medium low heat for about 6 more minutes. Tadahhh!! done.

Cupcakes

2011-01-12T09:00:00.000-08:00

James came home with these on one hand last week.

On the other hand, he had a hand-written note by "Jackson,"

Thanking me for everything I do everyday.

I love hand-written notes by my husband pretending to be my 9 month old baby.

And I love these mini cupcakes.

They make me feel less gross for eating all four in a day and a half.

Did you miss him?

2011-01-11T08:30:00.000-08:00

Just in case you were missing those eyelashes.

Or that smile.

Or that cute tiny baby body.

Oh, by the way,

He discovered our stove.

And he discovered climbing.

He now tries to CLIMB up our STOVE and turn on the gas.

LUCKY ME! I've got myself a monkey boy!

Cornbread Casserole

2011-01-10T21:12:00.000-08:00

This tastes WAY better than it looks.
Mostly because we just detroyed it as soon as James got home because we were so hungry!
Anyway, its easy. And it's delicious.

Cornbread Casserole

1 lb ground beef
1 jar salsa ( I use Walmart Bean and White Corn because I like it best for this recipe)
1 C Corn
1 box cornbread mix (or you can make it from scratch)*Remember it's for a 9x13!!
1 C cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375.
Brown ground beef (season to your liking). Add Corn and salsa and mix.
Prepare mix and spread half on greased 9X13 pan. Pour ground beef on top evenly. Pour rest of cornbread mix to cover. Top with cheese.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until goldren brown all over.

* Cut in middle and check. Sometimes it takes a little longer to make sure it is done.
* I halved the recipe because I only had a mix for an 8x8 pan (I've done it plenty of times and it always turns out just as great).

FHE

2011-01-10T20:56:00.000-08:00

One of our New Year's Resolutions (as a family) was to have FHE.

To actually set apart a day,

talk about something spiritual,

and spend time together.

James talked about gratitude.

And how we need to slow down and be thankful for what's right in front of us.

I love family home evening.

We also played a game.
Have any of you played this?? We got it from Christmas and it's addicting!
I am a natural.
I hated it at the very beginning but for some odd reason can't stop winning.
James is a sore loser and I just enjoy his pain too much, so we play it all the time.
But now he's getting better and he keeps beating me.
Dang it.

Ham & Broccoli Wreath

2011-01-08T08:45:00.000-08:00

this is good and so. easy.

And it doesnt REALLY have to be shaped like a wreath (as you can see above because I only had one can of crescent rolls)!

Ham & Broccoli Wreath

2 can refrigerated crescent rolls

1/2 C ham chunks (they sell them cut really small and that's my fav to use)

1 1/2 C Broccoli, chopped

1/2 C Mozz Cheese (or you can use the Italian Blend and works really great too)

Garlic Powder to taste

salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350.

In a bowl toss together ham, broccoli, cheese and seasonings to taste.

Open first can of crescent rolls and form a circle for bottom of wreath on a cookie sheet. With second can, make it like sun rays on the circle. Spoon the filling evenly over middle. Fold the "rays" toward middle. Filling will not be completely covered.

Bake for 25-30 minutes in oven until golden brown. SERVE warm!

Greek Pasta

2011-01-06T18:25:00.000-08:00

My mom doesnt measure anything. She just cooks and bakes these amazing things and then you go ask her for a recipe and she says, "oh just pour a little bit of this and add a little bit of that"... like I'm supposed to just understand what that means.

Anyway, I made her get this recipe down on paper and now make it when I'm feeling fancy. Except its not hard so I like feeling fancy a lot!

Greek Pasta

1 box penne pasta (I used whole wheat)

1 small onion, chopped

1 cucumber, chopped

1 tomato, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

1/3 C EVOO

1 C black olives, halved

salt, garlic powder, and pepper to taste

Feta cheese, crumbled

Parmesan cheese to top

Cook pasta according to box; drain and put back in pot. Cut all veggies (put olives aside) and saute veggies in olive oil for 2 minutes, season to taste with salt and pepper (and garlic powder). Combine with pasta. Add olives and crumbled feta. Top with parmesan cheese.

*you can get a french bread at the store, slice it and stick it in the oven on broil for a minute or two and now you got yourself a gourmet meal!

Chicken Rolls & Corn

2011-01-05T19:09:00.000-08:00

My MIL makes these really amazing chicken rolls and I'm always thinking how I'm going to make them for James since they're on the top of his list.

But since she makes them for super nice dinners, I always think they are super hard to make.

WRONG! These are really easy and so good.

This is not her recipe, but it tasted just like them because James couldn't stop raving about them!

Chicken Rolls

2 large chicken breasts, shredded

1 T butter, soft or melted

3-4 oz cream cheese, soft

2 T milk

2 can refrigerated crescent rolls

seasoned croutons, crushed (I used butter & garlic flavor)

salt to taste

pepper to taste

garlic powder to taste

*I don't really like putting measurements for salt, pepper and garlic because I like mine really flavorful and other people might like it better a little more bland.

Heat oven to 350.

In bowl mix chicken, cream cheese, butter, and milk. Season to taste.

Remove crescent rolls from cans and make rectangles by pressing on perforations (4 total rectangles per can). Spoon chicken mixture into rectangle and roll. Pinch edges to seal. Place on cookie sheet.

Get some melted butter and brush it on the rolls and sprinkle crushed croutons on top.

Bake for about 20 or so minutes, or until golden brown.

Makes 8 chicken rolls

Mandarin Meatballs & Rice

2011-01-04T14:12:00.000-08:00

I'm pretty sure I haven't posted this recipe before but its soooo easy.
First of all, you are going to go get yourself a Costco membership and buy yourself a huge bag of Kirkland Meatballs... seriously, you wont regret it.
If you don't have a Costco membership, just buy meatballs from your grocer's freezer and pretend they are from Costco.

Preheat the oven to 375, put about 16 meatballs on a cookie sheet and let them cook according to package instructions.

While those are in the oven, this is how you make the Mandarin Sauce (also, you can make this sauce for chicken, steak, pork..it'll work for anything)

Sauce
2/3 C Sugar (try doing 1/3 C and add until desired sweetness)
1/4 C Soy Sauce
1 T lemon juice
1 t minced garlic
1/4 t ground ginger
1/2 C water
5 t cornstarch

Combine first 5 ingredients. Pour into sauce pan, heat mixture until boiling. Combine cornstarch and water. Mix into sauce until thick consistency. Add cooked meatballs until coated thoroughly.

Then just serve those puppies over rice (brown or white) and you're set!

2 week menu

2011-01-04T08:25:00.000-08:00

Here is my first two week menu for 2011

Like I've said before, I don't make myself make something on a certain day.
I like working with what's there and what feels right that night.

Mandarin Meatballs and Rice
Chicken Rolls and Corn
Cornbread Casserole
Navajo Tacos
Brinner - Breakfast for dinner
Greek Pasta
Ham & Broc Wreath
Baked Potatoes
Salsa Verde Tostadas
Personal BBQ pizzas
Chicken Quesadillas

I'll be posting the recipes every day (or close to that) so keep checking back.

Resolutions

2011-01-03T19:04:00.000-08:00

I didn't make any resolutions last year.
Mostly because I thought I'd never stop being the size of an elephant.
Also, didn't think I could ever have a life after baby.
But here I am, one year later.
With a 9 month old baby boy, who isn't so bad after all,
I'm also no longer an elephant,
and just really happy with my life.

So I'm ready to commit to a couple of things.
Not too many, because usually I just forget.
Also, I'm really bad at sticking to long term commitments (Other than marriage... HA!).
I like making monthly resolutions. Is that weird?

2011
Organize my house
like really get rid of things or at least store them well and get my house bare of the things I don't love.
Sell the house
We're in NO hurry, but we want to see how this goes.
Stick to my 2 week menus.
I already make them, I'm just kind of lazy some days and don't end up making what I'm supposed to which equals wasted food that might go bad because of me.
Read more.
I read a pretty good number of books last year, but I really am getting more and more in love with this hobby. In my list of books is the BOM, which I'm working on right now.
Run.
I haven't run in months. I miss it. I want to love it again. maybe run a 5k again this year.

Happy New Years!

2011-01-03T18:39:00.000-08:00

New Years was played down a little bit this year.

We usually spend it with my family and stay up way past midnight eating and dancing.

(something I haven't done once this whole year)

BUT, Jackson got his flu shot the day before and he did not react so good to it.

So we put him down, stayed home, played games and our neighbors showed up to keep us company.

I actually really enjoyed it, but did miss my family the whole time.

Hopefully this year has a lot of great things for our little family.

Hello 2011!

9 months old

2010-12-30T12:10:00.000-08:00

(Jackson and his scratched up nose. Fell down playing and hit it yesterday)

Jackson,
You are 9 months old today.
You have been alive as long as you were in my belly.
So I guess it's been 18 months, with us, just trying to figure out one another.
I enjoy being your mother more than anything I can imagine.
It gets hard some days, and sometimes I feel like I need a break,
but the moment I'm away from you, you're all I want to think about.

You and I have become the best of friends.
You think I'm really funny, and I will do just about anything to get you to laugh with me.
You love your independence, which I'm not sure I like since you ARE 9 months old.
You love standing by yourself and making messes. You talk up a storm even when no one's in the room.
I'm in a constant war with you to keep you alive.
You love wrestling with dad and spending time with him.
Let's not even talk about how much you love spending time at Lela's (my mom) house.
They give you everything and anything you want there.

I am completely in love with you. I don't know how I can love someone so little so much.
You are developing into a beautiful boy and every day I debate on whether I want you to stay the same forever or whether I want to see you accomplish so much more.

Today I say the latter. But don't hold me to it in the next few months when you find your legs and discover there's a world to run around in, and mommy's just the one that says no a lot.

I love you, Jackson.

Christmas Gifts!

2010-12-29T13:06:00.000-08:00

For Christmas, we do secret santa at James' house. It's not really secret but we draw people out of a bowl and we are in charge of getting them a gift. For the last couple of years, we always get two of the men so I never really get to play with my creative (and girly) side and usually end up getting gifts at REI.

This year, however, we got two girls! So I put my creative thinking on and thought of a fun (and usable) gift. I didnt want to give them something they were going to put on a shelf and never use or something that wasn't completely their taste. So I remembered that all my sisters in law love greens and they love cooking (or at least I think they do) and made them little baking kits.

I LOVE kits. I'm huge on presents that have an actual purpose. I love giving movie-watching kits, dinner-making kits (great wedding gift), rootbeer float-making kits, you name it. It may be a "thing" of mine but they are great.

I went out and got them each a pan that most seemed like them to me, bought cute jars, and made jar mixes- one Apple Crisp Mix, one Brownie Mix. Then I made them each an apron, and to tie it together, I put in a spatula with it. Also there were intructions on how to make the mix.

Anyway, they seemed to love it and made me super happy to have given them something they liked.

If you are interested in making an apron...well, I cant help unless you come over. I did it all in my head before I turned it into reality so it's still there. All you need is 2 yards of fabric (different ones that go together), and a cell phone so you can call me on your way over!

Christmas Day

2010-12-28T19:21:00.000-08:00

Christmas Day around these parts was more than I could have asked for. I feel so blessed to have all of our family near by so we can enjoy this special time with them. Jackson was not into the unwrapping of the gifts -he just wanted those toys infront of him, unwrapped, and ready to play with them. It was a little bit overwheling (for all of us), as we chose to visit both families on Christmas eve AND Day. Yeah... we have to see about that next year.

On another note...

I'm really happy lately. Jackson is at an age that is very hard to dislike- even when he's naughty (which doesnt happen very often). He's happy and curious and such a lovely boy.

I'm thankful for him. For his constant reminder that I need to be more patient, and take things more lightly. For making me laugh on an hourly basis and for reminding me how happy I am to be his mommy.

Mom's Pancakes

2010-12-23T08:57:00.001-08:00

So I haven't decided what I'm making for breakfast on Christmas Day, but I usually like doing a big breakfast full of deliciousness.
Here is a recipe for THE BEST pancakes you will ever have. I have them memorized now from making them so often.
This is my mom's all time pancake recipe and though it took her a while to give it to me (because she doesnt measure things and has it all memorized in her pretty little head), I couldn't thank her enough for them. They are soft and melt in your mouth. You won't regret making them.

Mom's Pancakes

1 C Flour
1 C Milk
1 egg
1/3 C oil (she actually said a little less, so I never fill it to the rim but leave a little space on top)
1 T Sugar
3 t baking powder
1/2 t salt (same as the oil, don't top it, leave a little space)

Mix in kitchen aid or with hand mixer until smooth. (don't leave a bunch of lumps like other pancake recipes tell you to).
Heat a slightly oiled griddle or frying pan until medium high heat. Pour a scoop (about 1/4 c) of batter onto pan, brown on both sides and serve hot.

Makes 8 pancakes. You can double or triple this recipe if necessary.

Want to try something fun? shred some cheddar cheese and top your pancakes with it. Pour hot syrup over them and ENJOY. Seriously, you will. It is sooo good.

You'll try it right? You better.

Advent Calendar

2010-12-23T08:00:00.000-08:00

UPDATE! Just sharing with you the things I've done so far!

I always get really excited when December comes around and I think of all the "Christmasy" things I will do until the new year... then new year comes and December goes right on by and I feel like I didn't really get to enjoy it.
Because I want to make memorable traditions for my kids to be excited about later on, I have decided to do some sort of Advent Calendar this year.
I dont have a cute decoration for it or anything, but I do have things I would like to get done this month. I guess the cute decorations will come when Jackson is a little older.
It's the 2nd today so I've already lost out on 2 precious days, but I guess starting now is better than not starting at all.

Tell someone you love them DONE
Make Hot Chocolate and Marshmellows done
Make a popcorn garland decided it might be a bad idea because jackson wanted to eat it
Make a tree decoration that reminds you of Christ
Make tradition to make at least one tree decorations with Jackson Done
Put up Christmas decorations while listening to Christmas Music Done
Make decorative sugar cookies and share them with neighbors Done
In your prayers today, only give thanks without asking for anything. Doing this today- it really is harder than it seems.
Try to be as kind as possible to everyone today
Go to the temple with James Done
Send a card to a friend by mail in this holiday season Done
Go to temple square and enjoy the lights
Be the first to say hello to everyone today
Drive around the neighborhood and look at Christmas lights Done
Open a gift on Christmas Eve as a family (PAJAMAS!)
Put up a wreath Done
Rent a holiday movie
Go to Barnes and Nobles and pick out a new Christmas CD We got one from my MIL
Exchange gifts Doing this Christmas Eve with family
Make a give list instead of a list of gifts you'd like Done
Find mistletoe, hang in the house and kiss under it.
Make snow angels It hasnt snowed this much
Make a snow man It hasnt snowed this much

There. 23 because I've already used up two days. No certain order. I just want to do them. Hope you guys have some ideas on how to enjoy this time of year!

Thanks to rockstar diaries and babble for some of these ideas!

PAUSE

2010-12-22T19:18:00.000-08:00

ALMOST all of my presents are wrapped.

I've been working on three different Christmas gifts that I handmade (don't do it, you'll go crazy) and I finally finished today.

I read 4 books last month and this month I'm struggling to get through the first 100 pages of Mokingjay (am I totally old news or what?)

I haven't had a free second to indulge in anything I WANT to.

For example, I'm pretty sure I ate one meal a day this last week.

And not because I'm on some freak diet or because I want to be all skinny for the holidays.

BUT BECAUSE I SINCERELY FORGOT TO EAT.

James thinks it's nuts that I forget, but when you have a baby as determined to kill himself as I do, and you make homemade gifts like they're going out of style like I do, you FORGET.

But here I am, 3 days before Christmas and I'm pretty much done.

And it feels good.

Because tonight, I'm going to take off my clothes, put on some comfortable sweat pants (sexy eh?), and read my freaking book.

Crush Much?

2010-12-10T20:38:00.000-08:00

Tonight we had a girls night.

My neighbor Jen and I rented a redbox

watched (and drooled at) Charlie St. Cloud

and drank Jamba Juices.

I can't recall which of the two was more delicious.

I definitely have a married woman crush on Zac Efron.
He's actually growing hair on his face
and those muscles just keep on growing.

8

2010-12-01T08:57:00.000-08:00

My sweet little boy,

I can't believe you're now 8 months old. The months are passing us by so quickly and there is no stopping them. I love seeing you explore the world and becoming a little person. You are so happy, it really makes my job as your mom so easy. I love to be around you and can't wait to see you grow into a little boy with a voice and a purpose.

You go ahead and keep growing and developing, and I promise to love you forever. Just don't do it too fast. And promise you'll keep giving me millions of kisses a day.

Here are a couple of your milestones:

You have no teeth and no sign of them.

You crawl your little heart out and love to stand up. (not holding on to anything for a few seconds!)

You love kids and scream when you see them.

You have tickly (and sweaty) little feet.

You love to beg from everyone's dinner plates.

You hate drinking milk (formula), but you do it a little anyway.

You love baths.

You try to eat everything around you, including mom's face.

It takes a village to change your diaper.

You love wrestling with your daddy.

You love to be loud and talk your little heart out.

I love being your mother today and always. Don't ever forget that.

You make it all worth it.

2010-11-18T11:26:00.000-08:00

I think Jackson was teething this week.
Either that, or an evil little demon has taken over my sweet little boy.
He woke up onery and was sad pretty much every day.
He hated food, but that's really normal for Jackson.
Sleep? little demons don't need sleep.
And no, nothing entertained him.

It's so weird to see him like this.

He is such a happy baby all the time that when these things happen
I'm taken so off guard that I'm usually left blank.
So I try and pay lots of attention.
and give him lots of love.
and try and feed him 3,000 times a day.
thinking maybe this time he will want to eat.
and give him cold things to chew on.

But there is no swelling
and no tiny tooth in sight.

So I'm sticking to my initial guess of the tiny demon.
I've heard they've been going around ;)

German Pancakes

2010-11-18T11:18:00.000-08:00

Since I found this recipe, we've had it at least once a week for breakfast.
It's easy and fast and so tasty.

German Pancakes
adapted from The Coterie

1/3 C Butter, melted
1 1/2 C Flour
1 1/2 C Milk
8 Large eggs
1/2 tsp salt (or a tiny bit less)
1/4 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 400. Put butter in microwave, melt. Pour in 9x13 pan.
Combine all other ingredients and pour over butter.
Bake for 20 minutes or until all puffed up and brown around the edges.

(I usually cut this in half and make an 8x8 pan)

Speedy Gonzalez

2010-11-17T13:09:00.000-08:00

Jackson is unlike a lot of babies.

He learned to sit at 5 months.

By six months he was crawling.

Now he's using furniture to get himself standing.

Half the time I forget whether I've actually eaten anything

because I'm usually trying to keep him from killing himself.

It doesnt matter the distance,

or the obstacles...

he will get to his final destination.

Stubborn just like his mom and dad.

My little boy is growing too fast.

Pregnant much?

2010-11-15T12:32:00.001-08:00

Someone asked if I was pregnant today.

SLAP.

IN.

THE.

FACE.

And just a couple of days before,

my mom had just told me how I looked like I'd lost weight.

and my scale says I'm only 5 lbs over what I used to be before Jackson.

Who seriously asks that unless you're obviously showing?

I want to fall over and die.

Ruffled Shirt

2010-11-11T19:22:00.000-08:00

Sorry it took me so long.
And you guys may be disappointed
because tonight I'm only showing you one of my projects.
Why, you ask?
well sewing super soft and stretchy 100% organic cotton is...
a female dog.
Just ask my mother. She had to help me.. A LOT.
Thank goodness I only used these shirts for one of the projects or I would have called it quits.
Used this tutorial, which was super easy to follow.
I didnt do it exactly how she shows it, but I'm pretty happy with the results.

All you need is 2 t-shirts (which I got for a dollar each at walmart!), a sewing machine and some thread and you are good to go.
Enjoy!

Upcoming

2010-11-11T09:56:00.000-08:00

Today, I'm working on two projects that I've just been dying to complete.
It's fashion related, and only cost me $4.
I can't wait to finish it so I can come back and inspire you to do it too.
Be back later!