100 Things

This past Sunday the speaker at church asked us to make a list of 100 things we are thankful for in our lives. So I am going to give it a shot.

1. Charlie
2. Chad
3. Morgan
4. all my family
5. the restored gospel of Jesus Christ on earth today
6. health
7. a home
8. my husbands job
9. safety
10. friends
11. a car
12. books to read
13. eyes that work (remember the whole in my retina?)
14. a down comforter
15. my children laughs
16. new buds on the trees in the spring
17. the color of fall leaves
18. my scriptures that are all worn and well loved
19. tivo
20. my cookbooks
21. toothpaste and mouthwash
22. mints on fast Sunday (they should give them out at the door!)
23. my kids teachers
24. Pepsi
25. fresh tomatoes
26. fresh salsa
27. guacamole
28. contact lens
29. email
30. friends that make my blog cute
31. my nephew who lives with us and visits often
32. my niece who lives close by and makes me laugh
33. washing machines
34. dryers
35. dish washer
36. refrigerator
37. Paces Popsicles
38. medical insurance
39. a good doctor
40. medicine that is readily available
41. comfy pillows
42. fireplace
43. my neighbors huge tree that shades our house in the summer
44. happy hollow
45. all my nieces and nephews!
46. flushable wipes
47. cleaning wipes
48. the pond
49. the pool
50. the beach
51. even though we don't live near it but a sea breeze!
52. sunsets
53. sunrises
54. good jokes
55. clinique lotion
56. carmex lip gloss
57. warm water every day
58. chocolate
59. bubble bath
60. pedicures
61. Advil
62. bike rides
63. rocket (the dog)
64. computer
65. cell phone
66. freshly made bread
67. ipod
68. hot chocolate
69. fresh snow (when I can stay home)
70. sense of humor
71. frozen grapes
72. newly blossomed spring garden
73. vacation at my sister Tara's house!!!!
74. baseball
75. peace I feel when I pray
76. a living prophet
77. my testimony
78. my calling
79. fresh sheets!
80. Costco
81. target
82. the D.I.
83. garage sale finds
84. my journal
85. eyebrow waxing
86. Christmas morning
87. Easter
88. Thanksgiving
89. the color red
90. Chad's jokes
91. the ability to laugh instead of cry
92. a father who taught me to laugh instead of cry
93. a mother who taught me to be craft, caring, and always smile!
94. a free country
95. leaders who pray
96. a God who loves me
97. knowing my God loves me
98. the Holy Ghost that testifies of all things good and true
99. an eternal marriage
100. my Savior Jesus Christ

Cookie of The Week

This week we made out traditional sugar cookie recipe. We make and decorate these cookies for several holidays during the year. Then we share them with neighbors! You will see in these pictures that Morgan is still happy to be in the pictures and all that good stuff. But Chad will not. He will help cut, roll and decorate! He will not allow himself to be in the pictures doing any of these things. Although making bunny ears behind his sister is still OK in his mind. This is one of those traditions that I kind of dread because of the time and mess. In the end I am thankful for the tradition. I am thankful for the time spent together, the jokes, the laughter, even the mess!

Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

1 Cup butter at room temperature

2 Cups sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 Cup sour cream

4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

6-8 Cups flour

Cream together the first 4 ingredients. Add the next 3 then add one cup of flour at a time until it makes a soft dough. Refrigerate for at least an hour. Roll out and cut into lovely shapes!! Bake at 250 for 7-9 minutes. I use store bought frosting because I am lazy, but you could make some too!! Enjoy!

A Little Piece of Heaven (or Cinnamon Rolls)

The Roll!

5 Cups warm water

3 tbl. yeast

2 tbls sugar

Add the yeast and sugar to the water, do not stir!

Let proof in the bowl for about 5 minutes.

14-16 Cups flour (unbleached all purpose)

2 tbl. salt

2/3 canola oil

2/3 cup white sugar

Add yeast/water mixture to the 1/2 the four and all other ingredients in a large bowl.

Mix with a spoon adding 1 cup of flour at a time until it is too sticky.

Scrape out onto a floured counter and begin kneading.

Adding enough flour to properly knead the dough.

This dough is fairly stiff and should be kneaded for 10 minutes.

You can mix this dough in a "Bosch" if you have one. It is too large and

stiff to mix in my Kitchen Aid.

Let rise in the washed bowl, covered with a dish towel. The dough has

risen enough when it begins to mound on the top of the bowl.

At this point you may make 4 loaves of bread or 2 large batches of cinnamon rolls.

To make cinnamon rolls you will need:

2 cubes butter (at room temperature)

4 Cups dark brown sugar

cinnamon

nuts or raisins (optional)

Punch down and divide dough into 2 even sections. Roll out each section into a

large, loosely rectangular shape. Melt one cube of butter and spread

over the dough sprinkle with 2 Cups brown sugar and cinnamon to taste.

Add nut and or raisins if you and yours enjoy them.

I sprinkle cinnamon over the top so that there is an even sprinkle but not completely

covering the dough.

Roll firmly and cut in about 2 inch pieces. Each 1/2 of the dough will make

12 rolls, you may have a couple extra. Place cut rolls on greased 1/2 sheet

cookie sheet. Let rise covered for about 1/2 hour. Then bake in a preheated

350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Repeat with other half.

The Frosting!

1 block cream cheese

2 cubes butter

whipping cream

big bag powdered sugar

1 orange

a pinch of salt

1 tsp vanilla

Cream butter and cream cheese together. Add the juice of one orange, salt and vanilla.

Slowly add powdered sugar and whipping cream a little at a time until

it is the consistency you like. Spread over pan or individual rolls. Be sure

to refrigerate leftover frosting.

ENJOY!! These rolls are really worth the work...they are so yummy!

Simple Sunday

Alma 7:23

And now I would that ye should be humble, and be submissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; being temperate in all things; being diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do recieve.

Simple Sunday

Alma 34:38

That ye contend no more against the Holy Ghost, but that ye receive it, and take upon you the name of Christ; that ye humble yourselves even to the dust, and worship God, in whatsoever place ye may be in, in spirit and in truth; and that ye live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you.

Cookie Of The Week

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

2 C butter

2 C sugar

2 C brown sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp soda

2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla

5 C oatmeal (blended into a flour)

4 C flour

24 oz chocolate chips (I use 1/2 mild and 1/2 semi sweet)

3 C chopped nuts (your choice)

Cream butter, add sugars. Then eggs and next 4 ingredients. Add oatmeal one cup at a time, then do the same with the four. Add chocolate chips and nuts. This is a super thick dough! Drop by ball onto cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.

Simple Sunday

Isaiah 1: 18

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord:

though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;

though they be red like crimson; they shall be as wool.

White Chicken Chili

2 Chicken breasts
3 T. olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2-4oz can mild green chilies, chopped
2 t. ground cumin
1 1/2 dried oregano, crumbled
1/2 t. cayenne pepper
3 -16oz can white beans, ( I use great northern)
5 c. chicken broth
3 c. shredded monterey jack cheese

garnish with sour cream, more cheese, and tortilla chips.

Place chicken in pot and cover with water, boil until cooked, about 15 minutes. Drain and cool. Heat oil in same pot over medium high heat. Add onions, garlic, chilies, and spices. Cook on low until onions are clear. Add bean, undrained, broth and shredded chicken. Let simmer for 5 minutes. Add cheese 1 cup at a time. Stir to combine.

This Chile is great, people love it. Sometimes I will add cooked rice to my bowl then add the chili, that is yummy too. Also if you substitute low-fat cheese it is a great Weight Watchers dinner!

Getting it Together!

My friend Emily posted the cutest thread today. She was

asking people what they did to make things easier or more organized.

We all have little things we do or have done in the past to get

things put together.

So what do you do?

These are my wall hooks and clipboards. I have one for each child.

I covered the clipboards with cute paper. Then the kids hang their

backpacks, dancing bags, hats, scarves and coats. The clipboards

hold spelling lists, school assignments, book orders and any other

items that we need to keep track of.

The other thing that I do is to keep binders. I have a binder for school

stuff, Brownie scouts, Young Women's and family stuff.

So in the school binder I have dividers for each child, then one extra

for general school information. I keep the teacher information behind

each divider and then lunch menus and school phone numbers and

important dates behind the general info. In the family binder

I keep dividers for each person with page protectors to hold

important documents. School schedules, extra curriculum activities

information. These binders seem to really make things easier to

find whenever I need something for someone.

Fake Cafe Rio Pork Salad (for Sarah, Andrea and Tara)

Pork Roast ( I get mine from Costco, it costs about $10 and comes 3 in a pack, I use all three at once)
2 liter bottle of Coke (not diet)

Place the pork in crock pot, cover with coke.
Cook on high for about 8 hours. Drain off coke. Place pork back in
crock pot and shred, still set on high.
Add to that 1 large can green enchilada sauce and 2 Cups of dark brown sugar.
I also add 1/2 Cup molasses. Cover and let sit for about 10 minutes.
Stir and shred a little more.

1 package of tostada shells
romaine lettuce, washed and shredded
monterey jack cheese, shredded
rice and beans of your choice, heated
salsa and sour cream

I like to make a salad from the pork. I place the lettuce on the bottom
then add rice and beans, pork and some crumbled tostada shell.
Top with salsa, cheese and sour cream.

I don't like to use dressing. But if you really like the Cafe Rio salad dressing...
rumor has it you can google the recipe and come up with
something pretty close.

I hope you like this as much as me!

Who wants to play tag?

I was tagged! This is my first time being tagged. Thanks to Emily White, my friend from Bakersfield...even though she lives in San Antonio now. Here’s a few things you may not know about me...

Five Things I was doing 10 years ago:

1- I was going to school to be a landscape architect.
2- Living in Huntington Beach.
3- Riding my bike every day with Chad in the Burley.
4- Falling in love with my scriptures for the first time in my life.
5- Earning extra money by gardening/weeding yards.
Five things on my to-do list today:1- Make cookie of the week.
2- Put the winter sheets on all the beds.
3- Make bread for our dinner.
4- Go on Morgans class field trip.
5- Help Chad finish his "Reflections" project. WOW! (that's the theme)
Five snacks that I enjoy:

1- PEPSI!!!
2- Snickers

3- Tortilla chips and salsa
4- Fresh bread
5- Chocolate!
Five things I would do if I were a millionaire:
1- Pay tithing (same as Emily)
2- Pay off the house and all other debt (same as Emily)
3- Buy a new family van or SUV (same as Emily)
4- Take a trip to Hawaii
5- Buy a swap cooler, dish washer, and re-carpet the house!
Five places I have lived:

1- Scotsdale, AZ2- Bakersfield, CA
3- Huntington Beach, CA
4- Corona, CA
5- Farmington, UT
Five Jobs I have had:
1- Newspaper reporter ( same as Emily, I swear it is true, junior in high school, Orange County Register)
2- Snack Bar at roller skating rink ( I can make a mean cotton candy!)
3- Gap girl (this too, same as Emily and I was a sophomore in high school)
4- Receptionist
5-Stay at home Mom
Now it’s your turn. I tag the following five people:

Sandy Hunsaker

Sarah Roberts

Tara Wach (better get going on that blog!!)

Sara Holmes

Andrea Opfar

Cookie of the Week

Old Fashioned Gingersnaps

3/4 C shortening
1 C sugar
1/4 C molasses
1 egg
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 t ground ginger
1 t ground cloves
1 t cinnamon
2 C flour
sugar to roll dough in

Blend together shortening and sugar. Add molasses and egg, beat well.
Add spices, soda, and salt mix. Add flour.

Form teaspoonfuls of dough into balls; roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on
cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 12-13 minutes.

Take Down!!

These pictures mostly speak for themselves. Chad decided to give wrestling a go....he was one of the biggest boys there weighing in at 110.6. He was placed in the 105-130 weight division. Is it just me or is that a huge range of weights. I have always thought he was a bit stocky...not so! Thankfully this big, giant boy who is wiping the mat with my son is a friend of his. Nick who has played both baseball and football with Chad weighs in at a huge 'ole 135. There was no other boys to wrestle with Nick and since really it was just for fun he wrestled with Chad's weight division. I think it would have been so much worse if he had not been friends. After 4 days of practice and training they had a tournament. Chad came in 2nd. Not too shabby!

Chad being spanked by Nick!

Chad is now trying to do the same to Nick!

Notice the "coach" in the background. He is laughing, laughing, at my boy! Can you see why? Chad is trying with all his might, everything he has to pin his friend. In the end he could not hold him for the required time.

As a mother I must say....I hate this sport!! It is so personal. You find yourself yelling things that a person should never say to their child. FLIP HIM! HOLD HIM! CHAD YOU CAN DO IT, PIN HIM! PULL HIS ARM BACK, GRAB HIS LEG, NOW HOLD HIM DOWN! PUSH HIS FACE IN THE MAT! OK that one was from Charlie!! But still you get the idea. What I hated most was that there had to be a loser. Man of man, this poor kid was abused, or so it seemed to me. I hated seeing it. It seems so wrong. In the end I told Chad, I hate this sport. His response? Guess what mom? So do I! I will never complain that football is too violent again!

One Last Push

GO VOTE!!

We only have one day left before the election. It seems that this campaign has gone on forever and yet now it is upon us. I myself am quite decided on how I will be voting. I have felt lately a strong pull for the return of values. We as a nation seem to be thumbing our noses at God. I am praying that God being merciful will give us a miracle and grant us with leaders not that we deserve through our actions but ones that we need. I worry for the future we are giving our children. This weekend I have spent a lot of time reading my scriptures and praying. I am praying for wisdom. I am praying for other people to have wisdom.

Tomorrow I will dedicate a fast to this end. I will pray and fast that a miracle will happen. I would invite anyone to join me who feels inclined.

Proverbs 29:2

When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice;

but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.

I think that says it all.

Simple Sunday

Ether 2:8-9, 12

7. And the Lord would not suffer that they should stop beyond the sea in the wilderness, but he would that they should come forth even unto the land of promise, which was choice above all other lands, which the Lord God had preserved for a righteous people.

8. And he had sworn in his wrath unto the brother of Jared, that whoso should possess this land of promise, from that time henceforth and forever, should serve him, the true and only god, or they should be swept off when the fulness of his wrath should come upon them.

12. Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who manifested by the things which we have written.