Cross It Off The List...

I can cross off my list "make and send 10 cards to old friends"!

I had fun picking a few friends and hopefully surprising them with a fun little note. I should really do this more often!

Baby Candland

I had my first doctors appointment today and after seeing our cute little munchkin moving it's arms and legs and seeing it's little heart beat this finally feels real! So here is Baby Candland (they kept all the good pictures). My official due date is August 28th and it just can't come soon enough!

4,000 Days

My husband is a 'hopeful' romantic (as he puts it). He likes to do all that lovey dovey stuff including celebrating every 1,000 days we are married. Over the weekend I woke up to this display on the table. It says "Happy 4,000 Day Anniversary".

He was so thoughtful because right now I am craving fruity candy and I think I am stocked up for a while, haha!

My gorgeous orange flowers!

I love this guy! As his note said 4,000 down...eternity to go!

They Sealed The Deal

My aunt and uncle were sealed in the temple and we are so happy for them! The cool thing about this pose is that they took this exact same picture when they were in high school and dating!

Christmas Catch Up

For Christmas we got to spend about 12 days in Utah with Phillip's family. We made lots of fun memories and here are a few pictures that highlight our trip.

When we first arrived Phillip was adamant about 2 things, eating at Gandolfos for breakfast and going to his Grandmas grave.

We did the younger sibling gift exchange before Malissa and Greg had to go to Boise and we had their names this year so we got them each a book and something warm for their feet while they read. Yes, I made her slippers.

We had the annual Candland cooking day where everyone just jumps right in and grabs a recipe to make. I think we made a total of 14 different treats.

I made my crazy good toffee and Andes mint cookies.

My nieces helped out a ton too!

Phillip's favorite thing is Spritz cookies...

...and cornflake wreaths.

Peanut butter kiss cookies.

Malissa made these cake pops.

I didn't get a picture but we LOVED seeing A Christmas Carol at Hale Centre Theater.

Merna had her traditional Christmas party where Santa always comes to visit. This year the children wrapped dolls and bears for the children's hospital.

One evening we picked up Phillip's mom from work in downtown Salt Lake and we walked over to see the temple lights. It was nice and cold!

Christmas Eve we spent a good chunk of the day preparing a yummy dinner. We also did the traditional Christmas story and Dave sang for us. We drove around Alpine looking for luminaries that are supposed to "Light The Way" for Christ, but sadly not many people do it anymore.

Christmas morning we went to church and then we finally got to open presents. We saved our present for his parents last, which was an ornament to add to their legacy tree announcing that there would be a new addition!

The day before we left a few of us went miniature golfing.

We had so much fun with everyone! Thank you, thank you!

Lazy Saturday

We Have An Announcement!!!

Scrumptious Sundays

{Freezer} Breakfast Burritos

12 flour tortillas

1 lb breakfast sausage (I used spicy)

4-5 potatoes, peeled & diced

oil

12 eggs

1/4 cup milk

2 cups monterey jack cheese

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese

salt & pepper

Put diced and peeled potatoes in a gallon ziploc baggie. Add just enough oil to baggie to coat the potatoes. Line a cookie sheet with foil and spread potatoes onto pan. Cook at 400° for 15 minutes, turn and cook for another 10 (or until soft - this depends on how small you diced them). Brown sausage. While the sausage begins cooking, crack eggs into a bowl. Add milk and salt/pepper. Whisk until creamy (about a minute). Drain sausage and set aside. Cook eggs. When the eggs are still soft and gooey, add sausage, potatoes, and cheese. After egg mixture is cooked, set aside to cool.

To assemble, you will need to warm about 5 tortillas at a time on a plate with a wet paper towel on top (this keeps your tortilla from breaking). Make one burrito at a time. Place a scoop (depending on your size of tortilla) on one side of your tortilla. Roll tucking sides at the beginning. Set aside (I put mine on a cookie sheet). When all the burritos are made, wrap each one in plastic wrap. Put the burritos in a freezer ziploc baggie and with permanent marker write the following instructions so no one forgets (this also depends on your microwave): Place burrito with plastic wrap in microwave for 1 minute. Turn over and cook 1 more minute.

Cuddle Buddies

This picture needs no words. This is how we often find our girls, curled up together. They love their blankies!

Go Amy!

I have this talented friend Amy who I just adore (and when I say talented, that's an understatement)!

Imagine my surprise when I got this magazine in the mail...

...and saw this inside!

Go Amy! I am so happy for you!

Early Christmas

I love getting things in the mail (especially ones that end up practically free)...it's like an early Christmas present!

Becky Higgins Project Life Turquoise Edition.

Erin Condren 2012 Planner.

Thanksgiving 2011

We went down to my dad and Julie's this year for Thanksgiving. We LOVE their house (not to mention their beautiful trees and property)! It is so relaxing! The entire upstairs is a master suite and beyond comfortable!

Julie fixed us yummy treats at night while we lounged around and watched movies.

I was in charge of the rolls (as usual), but Julie didn't have a rolling pin...so we made do!

Dinner turned out awesome and the weather was so amazing that we decided to go outside and eat.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Breaking Dawn (Part 1)

Yes, I went to the midnight showing of Breaking Dawn. It's become sort of a tradition, although this was the first year I didn't throw the party beforehand. Me and my girlfriends figured out a trick last year and got stellar seats, so of course we did it again this year (I am so not telling)! Thanks Molly for almost getting into a fight with the crazies just to save our seats!

BD = Breaking Dawn

You better believe I screamed and chased this dude down the street so that I could get a picture of his hilarious shirt!

The movie was good, but in my opinion for an older audience. I can't believe we have to wait another year for the second part to come out!

Scrumptious Sundays

Hawaiian Chicken

4-6 boneless chicken breasts (mine were still frozen)

1 bottle Archer Farms Hawaiian Style Barbecue Sauce (from Target)

1 20 oz can Pineapple tidbits, drained

Spray the inside of your crock pot with cooking spray for an easy cleanup! Place frozen chicken breasts in the crock pot and cover with sauce. Empty can of drained pineapple tidbits on top. Cook on High for 2-3 hours or Low for 4-6 hours. Shred chicken with two forks while still in the crock pot so the chicken will be well coated with sauce. Serve over rice.

We also had petite whole green beans and Kings Hawaiian rolls with it!

Time Out For Women 2011

Choose To Become

As always, me and my mom had a blast at Time Out For Women! It is so fun to just get away and be spiritually fed! As you can see this years theme was Choose To Become. They had amazing speakers and music! I always jot down notes, and I just can't help but share them with you.

Laurel Christensen - The Faith Experiment

- Pray with faith

- Think with faith

- Live with faith

"You must do the thing you think you cannot do" Eleanor Roosevelt.

We put too much faith in the outcome, not enough faith in Him.

I have always been on his Plan A for me!

Don't be the person that stands in your way!

Brad Wilcox - Savior & Redeemer

We often forget that we need to see Jesus Christ as our Savior AND Redeemer, which are two different things.

Savior = saves us

Redeemer = makes us better

Sacrifice means to make sacred.

Choose Christ = Choose Change

He chose to be like us, so we can choose to be like Him.

The "big bang" cannot love us like a big brother can.

A God that require nothing of us, is making nothing of us!

Maicy Robison - (musical presenter)

Sometimes life takes twists and turns we aren't planning. She says that having a mother heart is what's important, not necessarily giving birth. For example, she got married to her "Rusty Armor" who asked for a divorce 7 years into their marriage and right after her mom died at 49. She remarried later on a man who had adult children and spent their first Christmas at her new husbands, ex-wifes house to be together with his children. She has finally had 2 children of her own at a later age, but not before she was a 'mother' to many students.

Mary Ellen Edmunds - You Are REAL!

A seed turns out exactly like it should, just like we do.

No one can steal your identity or the fact that you are a child of God.

What's his no face = Satan

Prayer isn't about time, it's about purpose!

Linda Eyre & Shawni Eyre Pothier - Parenting with Holiness

Find one part of your day that you can focus on making more holy. Her example was a friend who had 7 children, the last being twins which meant buckling 4 children into car seat! She decided she would change her attitude about it and make it more holy by placing each child in their seat, buckling them, then looking directly into their eyes and saying I love you. Shawni chose the after dinner routine. She turned on music (and video taped the change).

1 - Remember who your children really are.

- Between husband and wife go through a run down about once a month to see where each of your children are in each of the following areas: physically, mentally, socially, emotionally, and spiritually.

2 - Remember who you are.

- Get away, even if it's to sit in your car.

- Involve yourself with other women.

3 - Remember who the Savior is.

D. Kelly Ogden - Be of Good Cheer

We are told at least 12 times in the scriptures to "be of good cheer."

You have every reason in this world to be happy!

We can have a bad day but still have a good life.

Happiness is a decision.

1 - Spirit of God brings happiness

2 - Happiness comes through others

3 - Serving missions

4 - Scriptures

5 - Temple

6 - Turn hearts to fathers

We are His heirs!

Matt Baldwin - The Problem with Conformity

God wants me to be an individual!

God loves you, not God love you IF!

Kris Belcher - Look Up

Focusing on the darkness will not lead to light.

When prayers aren't answered commend yourself to the Lord like the Jaredites and ask Him to touch your stones to make the light.

Efforts = consecrate to the Lord.

Complain to Heavenly Father, it's okay!

Look up to the light, not down to the dark.

Search for happiness in light.

Kris was beyond hilarious and with the last name Belcher, how can you not be! Here is part of her introduction!

Hilary Weeks - (musical presenter)

Pray for what is the most important thing each day.

She did a neat experiment with a clicker. For an entire week she clicked for every negative thought she had, but then she found herself down. So the next week she clicked for all the positive things and her numbers were off the charts. She found reasons to click and found blessings.

She just topped the Christian Billboard Charts and she sang this awesome song!

Here are 2 quick (and I mean quick) clips of her skits that had us laughing.

And not that she performed this, but this is my favorite (hilarious) performance by her!

Scrumptious Sundays

Fish Tacos

16 - 20 fish sticks

2 tbls oil (I use extra virgin)

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp garlic powder

3 tbls mayo

1 tsp lime juice

1 1/2 cups coleslaw mix

flour or corn tortillas

salsa, or pico de gallo

Follow baking directions on the package for the fish sticks. Brush one side of fish sticks with oil, cumin, and garlic powder mixture and place in oven. Once the fish is halfway through baking, turn fish and coat other side with mixture.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together mayo and lime juice. Add coleslaw; toss to coat. To serve, spoon some of the coleslaw mixture into each taco shell, then add fish sticks. Top with salsa or pico de gallo.

We serve this with rice and/or beans as a side.

***We have recently changed this recipe slightly! Instead of salsa or pico de gallo, we use a can of Rotel (because we have it in our food storage and use it for everything). We add 1 tbls of the juice to the mayo and lime mixture for the coleslaw. Then we top the taco with the chunky stuff. It adds kick, which we love!

Weekend Birthday Celebration

Friday:

It began Friday with a handful of friends who joined me for a craft-a-thon from 10am-10pm. There was lots of chatting, and a little bit of crafting. We were lucky enough to use the church so we could each spread out on our own 8ft table. Ned's Krazy Sub was brought in for lunch and of course we had a bunch of treats to snack on throughout the day. For dinner we went to my beloved Gecko Grill who closed the next day after 12 years, sigh. Even though I planned a bunch of projects, I only completed a new church bag for myself, but catching up with girlfriends was the best! I love my girlies and they spoiled me with hoards of fabric and generous gift cards!

Saturday:

I forgot to mention that our friends from Utah drove down with their 3 kids (a 3 year old & 18 month old twins) to surprise me for my birthday! I feel so special! My mom made us all biscuits and gravy (my fave) and we "tried" to watch general conference. We didn't get up and moving till about 2 in the afternoon. We decided to get a pizza and go have a picnic on temple grounds. We rushed back so the boys could get to priesthood in time and they could see their friends (who live here too). Their friends joined us for my birthday dinner at Olive Garden along with my mom and Tim. I was spoiled with a shopping spree, pedicure, dinner, hotel stay, and Time Out For Women tickets from my mom to enjoy in November! And Phil scored major brownie points by getting me a Kindle along with 30 coupons that can be used 30 times (like back tickles, foot rubs, fabric and scrapbooking supplies). I was also informed that I have more in store next weekend! Wow!

Sunday:

Again we "tried" to watch conference, but I think we'll just have to watch it on DVR or read it when it comes out. We had another relaxing day and didn't get ready until about 3! We headed over to my grandmas house to have a nacho bar and celebrate with cake! Our friends 3 year old helped decorate it and blow out the candles. Too cute, right?! We chatted it up with family, then headed home to play some games since it was our friends last night. After a blessing over a sick and coughing little boy, we headed to bed in the wee hours.

All in all, turning 30 didn't kill me and I'm looking forward to doing everything on my 30 List! Thanks to everyone for making this birthday so memorable!