The Nativity

This is my favorite rendition of the Nativity. I share it with my family every year. I hope you enjoy it also. It is always nice to bring the Savior's love into your home.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icilgwdHiZg

Happy Holidays

I thought I would post about some great sites for the holidays. They are in no particular order.

1. http://www.emailsanta.com/email_santa.asp

Send out an e-mail to santa. Get a instant response. This has become a holiday tradition.

2. http://www.capturethemagic.com

Give your kids proof Santa was there.

3. http://www.northpole.com/Kitchen/Cookbook/MissingRecipe.asp

Great candy and cookie ideas for Christmas.

I will add more if I think of them.

Too Long!

It has been way to long since my last post. Partly because our old computer gave out. And partly because of my laziness. So to fill everyone in, we had a great Halloween. Shelby dressed up as the cutest care bear you have ever seen. Hunter was a bag of garbage, but at the last minute decided it would be to hard to maneuver around the neighborhood in. Porter was a dinosaur. So glad I make costumes because they last a lot longer than the store bought variety. Hunter came home with way to much candy. And the following day he had it sorted out, and had written down each piece of candy and how many of each kind. He told us this way he will know if anyone has taken any. I guess you have to protect your candy from thieving brother and sister.

We have snow and I have been listening to Christmas music. So It feels like we already had Thanksgiving. I however refuse to put up the Christmas decorations until after Thanksgiving. I am so excited for all the fun baking and treats. I better watch myself. One of our favorite treats is white chocolate popcorn. I made it for neighbor gifts last year. I was being lazy and didn't want to bake 20 cinnamon tea rings. So anyway here is how you make the white chocolate popcorn: 2 bags microwave popcorn with butter popped and put in bowl, 12 oz white chocolate chips or bark melted. Pour over popcorn, stir until well coated, pour onto waxed paper to cool. You can add all kinds of things to this to make it even yummier. I promise once you make this you won't want to put it down.

Best Grilled Whole Chicken

We made this about a month ago. I am just getting to posting it. I didn't know what the result would be, but it was fantastic. Somthing everyone needs to try. The kids all thought it was funny. It looked like there was a headless chicken standing on the grill. You can also make it on your gas grill. We just love the taste you get from cooking with charcoal.


Cola-Can Chicken

Ingredients
1 chicken (3 1/2 to 4 pounds)
2 quarts cold water
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste
1 can (12 ounces) cola
2 teaspoons melted butter
1 to 2 chunks of light smoking wood (preferably cherry or apple) optional
Procedure
1. Mix the salt and white sugar in the cold water until completely dissolved to make the brine. Wash the chicken inside and out and place it in the brine breast side down, placing a weight on top of the chicken to keep it submerged. Brine the chicken in the refrigerator for 1 hour, then remove from the brine, wash again, and pat dry with paper towels. Place the chicken on a plate and put it back in the fridge to air dry overnight (optional).
2. Combine the chili powder salt, light brown sugar, black pepper, cumin, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper together in a small bowl. Pop open your cola and drink 1/2 of the soda. Make two additional holes at the top of the can with a church key-style can opener, and toss in about 1 teaspoon of the rub. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the rub inside the body cavity. Hold the bird upright, with body cavity at the bottom, and lower it onto the can so the can fits into the cavity. Pull the legs forward to form a sort of tripod, and then tuck the wing tips behind the chicken's back. Brush the chicken all over with the melted butter, and then apply the remaining rub to the chicken liberally.
3. Light 1 chimney of charcoal, and when lit and covered in gray ash, dump out onto the charcoal grate. Arrange half of the coals on each side of the grate and place a drip pan in the middle between the two piles of charcoal. Place the wood chunks on top of the charcoal if using. Bring the grill to between 325-350 degrees. Place the chicken in the middle of the cooking grate, over the drip pan, then cover and cook until an instant read thermometer reads 180 degrees in thickest part of the thigh. You may need to add more charcoal about 1 hour through cooking.

Napolian Dynamite??

I promise you we feed our son. He literally eats like he is starving to death, however stays stick skinny. Lately he has been coming home from school with leftovers from his lunch in his pocket or backpack(YUCK). The first time he did this he came in with a chip bag from lunch with 2 chicken nuggets. He said he didn't want to waste them. As he proceeded to eat them. I thought he was for sure going to wake up in the night puking. I have tried to explain to him that he can't bring his food home. I guess the talk didn't work because a week later he came home with a WAFFLE. How on earth do you sneak a waffle out of the cafeteria?? So every week I am a little nervous to see what he might have brought home. I swear if anyone discovers what he is doing we will be reported to child services, they will think we are not feeding him. Oh the joys of motherhood. I guess I better check his pockets before washing, I might find a corn dog and some tots.

Pumpkin Cookies

I love pumpkin cookies. These are my favorite. The secret is the butterscotch chips.

3 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup shortening

3 cups sugar

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp nutmeg

2 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

2 cups pumpkin

4 1/2 cups flour

1 bag chocolate chips

1 bag butterscotch chips

bake 375* on greased cookie sheet 13-15 minutes.

Tooth Fairy

The tooth fairy finally made a visit to our house last night. Porter was so worried all last year that he hadn't lost a tooth. So finally he lost one in second grade. Good thing since I promised him that second grade was his year to loose a tooth. (since his brother lost his first one in second grade, I thought that would be a promise I could make.)Oh the trauma you have to face when you are 7 years old. I know I was grateful for all my late tooth getter's, since I was breastfeeding. All of my kids got there first tooth at 11 months. He was sure that he would never loose a tooth. Yesterday he woke up and noticed his tooth was loose, not very loose but loose just the same. I told him to keep wiggling it and it would come out soon enough. I guess he worked on that puppy all day, because when he got home from school it was just hanging there. I helped him wiggle it some more. But I'm not the adventurous type that will just grab it and yank it. So when Mike got home he asked to see it, he grabbed hold and yanked that sucker out. He was so excited for the tooth fairy to come he even went to bed early. When he woke up to change to make a dollar instead of a crisp bill, he was little disappointed. Mike told him the recession must have affected the tooth fairy also.:)I remember just getting a quarter for my teeth from the tooth fairy. Wow how things have changed.

Our 12th Anniversary

Mike and I celebrated our 12th anniversary September 6th. Wow where has the time gone?? I look back at those old pictures and can't believe it was so long ago. I am so lucky to have a great husband that is a worthy priesthood holder.

We had a great day. Just hung out and had agreat time at home with the kids. Here is to many more years to come.

Apple Pie

What says back to school more than apple pie. Here is my recipe for apple pie filling you can bottle, and a great apple pie too fill your house with that wonderful aroma. Make sure you serve with vanilla ice cream.


Apple Pie Filling

4 ½ cups sugar
1 cup cornstarch
2 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt

Blend above ingredients together and add 10 cups water. Cook and stir until thick. Than add:

3 TBS lemon juice
8 lbs apples peeled and sliced ( I like granny smith or golden delicious)
Stir all together and heat thoroughly. Pack into sterilized quart jars and process. One quart makes a 9 inch pie.



Dutch Apple Pie
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
3/4 cup butter, melted
1 bottle apple pie filling


In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, oats and butter; set aside 1 cup for topping. Press remaining crumb mixture into an ungreased 9-in. pie plate; set aside.

Pour filling into crust; top with reserved crumb mixture. Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Shelby says the darndest things

Shelby has been a little rascal lately. She has an overdose of attitude. Wow girls are so different than boys. The other day she was getting into something and I told her she better not do that or there will be consequences, she looked at me all serious and said will he be mad? I said will who be mad? She responded with consequences. Yesterday she brought in a picture of Mike and I from our wedding and asked mom you married daddy. I said yes. She walked away and said but I wanted to marry daddy. I have a feeling this year at home with her is going to be a real adventure.

Oh, How Does Your Garden Grow?

We have been having a great season with our garden this year!I am so excited to get enough tomatoes to bottle salsa, whole tomatoes and chile sauce. YUMMY! I have already pickled all our beets. Here is a picture from last years salsa.



The only problem we have had this year has been with squash beetles. They have destroyed all my beautiful pumpkins.I was looking forward to fresh pumpkin pies. STUPID BEETLES!




So here are some pictures of the survivors of our garden. Tomatoes,Potatoes, Swiss Chard, Basil, Zuchinni(barely hanging on)(dang beetles),Cucumbers, Raspberries, Cantalope, Honeydew, and Sunflowers.

Mike, showing off the sunflowers.

Shelby, loves the corn and her new haircut.

Tomatoes, Tomatoes, Tomatoes!!!

Shelby, making mud pies in the garnden. YUM!

Strawberry Pie

We have had a ton of strawberries in our garden this year. So this pie has been a popular request by all my family. Hope your families like it as well.


Strawberry Pie

8 cups fresh sliced strawberries
1 ½ cups sugar divided
6 TBS cornstarch
2/3 cup water
1 baked pastry shell

In a large bowl mash enough berries to equal 3 cups. In saucepan combine the sugar and cornstarch. Stir in the mashed berries and water. Mix well. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until thickened. It should look like pudding. Remove from heat. Pour into bowl. Chill until mixture is slightly warm. Fold in remaining berries. Pile in pie shell and chill for 2-3 hours. Serve with whipped cream.

Jackson Hole/ Yellowstone

We had so much fun last week visiting Jackson Hole Wyoming and Yellowstone National Park. We stayed at the Snake River KOA, just outside of Jackson. Great place to stay. The weather was perfect, the warmest it got was 80 degrees. Yellowstone was a very, very long day. I swear every time we go, there is road construction. Yellowstone from Jackson is about an hour drive. With construction it took us 2 1/2 hours to get there.Shelby was determined to see a bear, if her brothers said anything about them looking for a bear she would throw a fit. However we never did see one. So Mike bought her a stuffed animal bear she named Bob. Not so much fun after a 5 hour drive the day before. We asked the kids what they would remember about Yellowstone and they told us being in the car. So much for memories. The following day we headed to Jackson to spend the day and get some old time pictures taken. First family picture since Shelby was born. They turned out fabulous. That night we headed to the Bar J Ranch for a chuck wagon dinner and show. Great memories, Mike and I hadn't been there since our honeymoon. It was so much fun. The kids were great through the whole 2 hour show(amazing). It was a ton of fun. So if you want a fun family vacation i would highly recommend Jackson Hole and Yellowstone(just check about construction).

 

Another funeral

Well it has been a while since my last post. To fill you in we had just returned from Mike's grandfathers funeral when we got a phone call informing us that my grandmother passed away. She was such a great and noble women. Jelaire Katherine Simpson will be missed by many. She taught me so much. She showed me a great passion for cooking and she was always a lady, in the truest sense of the word. She never looked frazzled. She never complained, she went and did what the lord asked without a single murmur. I don't know if I could have done that. She had to move several times with my grandfathers church work. It was always fun to see the mementos from all over the world. So we have been in St george Utah for the funeral. The one nice thing about funerals is that you get a chance to see so much family that you haven't seen for a very long time. Hopefully no more funerals this year.

Happy Fathers Day

I hope all you with sons watch and enjoy this video. This video goes out to my husbands family who lost a great man last week Elvin Ossmen. He truly was a great man. He will be missed. Don't forget to pause the music at the bottom.

Jacob City

We did this a few weeks ago but I am just getting to the post. Mike and I went on a four wheeler ride to Jacob City just above Stockton Utah. Thanks to Dianna and Nate who watched Shelby. We were able to go on this fun trip for a few hours. It has been a long,long, long time since, Mike and I were able to go out and have such a fun time. It was so nice to ride and have a great picnic lunch by a stream. I felt like we were dating again. However while having lunch Mike realized he didn't have his wallet or cell phone. We went into panic mode and had to back track the whole way looking for these two items. We were lucky enough to find them at the very last place to look. At the entrance to mine. They must have fallen out while crawling in.Besides all that we had a lot of fun exploring and just having fun. So if you ever want a fun day ride head to the little ghost town of Jacob City.Here is the link that I found helpful about getting there and little background history.

Dutch Oven

Since it is summer, I thought I better post a yummy dutch oven dessert. I like this because we all get a little tired of the peach cobbler. I hope you all enjoy.



Jordan River Mud (Dutch Oven)

1 Chocolate Cake mix, mixed according to package directions

Mud:1/2 cup cocoa
2 cups brown sugar
4 cups hot water
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
Topping 1 package chocolate chips

Line Dutch oven with foil . Pour the prepared batter in oven. Mix “mud” ingredients in separate bowl and pour over the cake batter. Cover the oven 8-10 coals on the lid, 8 coals on the bottom. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove lid 5 minutes before baking time is up and sprinkle with chocolate chips, let melt. Serve with whipped topping. It will look like cake with fudge sauce.

Warm Weather

I am so happy to have all this sunshine. However I am not liking all the weeds to pull. They never seem to end. Mike an I were out weeding for most of saturday I have to say I HATE WEEDS. What I do love is this warm weather. Mike and the boys got me a new bike for mothers day. The funny thing is I havn't been so excited for bike since my 9th birthday. However this one doesn't have a banana seat. Wow that makes me feel old.We have been going on family bike rides now. We look like a family on parade route. We have loved riding to the lake and seeing and feeding the ducks. Shelby gets so excited everytime the ducks swim to get her peice of bread. Hunter has been a little character lately. I finally got out the capries even though I am as white as a ghost. And not to mention it was a little chilly in the mornings. As all you ladies know what happens when we get goosebumps. Hunter informs me that I am going to have a legstach both mike and I said what, he explains like a mustach on moms legs. Mike starts laughing so hard he is crying. So needless to say we now have a new word in our family.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is my all time favorite recipe for chocolate chip cookies. I recieved it from a good friend in our former ward. I don't use any other recipe. It turns out perfect every time. Everyone asks for the recipe so here it is. They freeze well.






Chocolate Chip Cookies

5 heaping cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
2 sticks butter softened
2 sticks margarine softened
1 ½ cups brown sugar
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
3 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
1 (12 oz) bag, semi sweet chocolate chips
1 (12 oz) bag, milk chocolate chips
2 cups chopped pecans (omit if you don’t like nuts)

Beat Butter, margarine and sugars and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Gradually beat in dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Drop by tablespoons on greased cookie sheet. Bake 375 for 11 minutes, or until golden brown. Makes 10 dozen cookies.

Our Yard

I thought I better make a post about all our yard progress. Mike worked realy hard his last vacation to plant 200 plants. He was out from sun up to sun down tilling and working the land. So here are the pictures. As soon as our garden starts growing I will post some pictures. But the strawberries are in full bloom. Also our peach tree. I am so looking forward to spring and summer.

Easter Weekend

We had alot of fun this Easter, despite the wind, rain, and cold. We headed out Thursday to Delta, Utah. Well just past Delta in the mountains there.We had fun 4-wheeling wirh the whole group. It looked like a wagon train with all of us flying down the road on our 4-wheelers. The kids loved just being outside no matter the weather. Here are few pictures from our adventure.

Shelby getting ready to go on the ride.


The hermit cave, he built his house from a cave very fun too see.


Coloring Eggs with cousins



Getting ready to run and get some eggs hidden by the Easter Bunny


All out gathering eggs



Look what the Easter Bunny brought.

Porter's Party

Porter's party went well. Porter and his friends had lots of fun with the whole Indiana Jones theme. We started the party on a treasure hunt, through the house since the weather decided it wasn't spring. They had to cross a bridge of stones with letters, only stepping on the letters to spell Porter. Then they had too put their hands in a bucket of worms to find the next clue(spaghetti noodles) then they had to climb the dark mountain(the stairs to the bonus room) through the cave to find the treasure. What better treasure than a bowl of candy right.


I was a little concerned about the cake. but it turned out realy cute. Who knew if you add blue food coloring to chocolate frosting it makes grey. I never thought I would make grey frosting. But you can't have G-normus rock that is brown. I realized that would look like a horse bicuit. You can't have Indiana Jones running away from a huge horse biscuit. So if you need any help with an Indiana Jones Party let me know. Here are few Pictures from the Party. Aren't those hats the cutest?

Spring Fever??

I don't know about the rest of you, but I have spring fever. I have been itching to go outside. Even to go camping. I love the sunshine pouring in the windows and the sound of Meadow Larks outside. If it weren't for the stinken wind I would be out there. I guess I need to get a kite.

My kids are just happy they can go out and ride their bikes again. I know Mike is excited to get out and ride his 4-wheeler. We are planning a trip up to a ghost town near by next week. Hopefully the weather holds?!So look for the post, on that if all goes well.

WOW How Long Has It Been??

I can't believe I haven't posted for so long. What have I been doing. Well I think having fun with my valentine present. No it isn't what you are thinking?! Mike bought me a new wheat grinder for Valentines. I know your thinking are you kidding me? I think I haven't been so excited about a new appliance for a long time. My great friend Mandy showed me the path to this new happiness. I have been a bread baking maniac. We don't even buy store bread anymore. I am even venturing to new grains to add to my bread. I feel like I am giving my children a little bit of healthiness. So here is to hoping. Maybe we will be healthy after all. So if you need some of your food storage wheat ground, head on over and we can make it into something fabulous.

Shelby

Since Shelby's Birthday is this month I thought I would post a little about her.


She is our little princess. After 2 boys it was nice to get a little girl in the mix. She can definatly hold her own with her rough and tumble brothers. She is very stuborn( I wonder where she gets that from?) It is hard to believe she is turning 3. She is all about princesses now.She loves anything princess. I have been lucky enough to find princess movies at DI for 2 dollars. She is daddy's little girl. You don't realize until you have a little girl of your own the special bond between daddy's and their little girls. We are truely blessed to have this wonderful little girl. The best surprise ever. Happy Birthday Shelby.

Yummy Soup and Bread

Baked Potato Soup

4 large baking potatoes ( about 2 lbs)
2/3 cup butter or margarine
2/3 cup flour
¾ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
6 cups milk
1 cup sour cream
½ tsp onion powder
10 bacon strips cooked and crumbled
shredded cheddar cheese

Bake potatoes at 350 degrees for 65-75 minutes or until tender: cool completely ( I make potatoes the day before) Peel and cube. In large saucepan, melt butter, stir in flour, salt and pepper and onion powder. Gradually add milk bring to boil, cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat, whisk in sour cream. Add potatoes. Garnish with bacon and cheese.



French Bread

In blender put
3 cups hot water from tap
1 cube butter
1 egg

blend well

In mixing bowl for bosch or kitchen aid place

1 TBS salt
1 TBS sugar
1 TBS yeast

Add blended ingredients, then add 6 cups flour or enough flour that the dough pulls from side of bowl. Knead in bowl for 10 minutes. Let rise to double. Shape into 3 loaves and place on greased baking sheets. Let rest 15 minutes. Bake 375 for 25-30 minutes.


This bread recipe also makes fantastic fry bread for navajo taco's.

Fun New Blog

I found a fun new blog called the gift closet. Click on the button on the side. I couldn't believe the fun projects.

Happy New Year and Happy Birthday Mike

Here is Mike with his Birthday present.
We had alot of fun New Years Eve, which by the way is Mike's Birthday. We decided we better try to break in his new 4-wheeler and have a little fun in the process. So we headed just up the street to the nearby mountain (seiously 5 minutes away) and take the kids on a sleigh ride. Nathan and Dianna and kids were nice enough to come along. I don't think I have had that much fun in the snow for along time. We all had fun sledding and riding around on 4-wheelers. Here is a video of Nate.

The kids having to much fun








That night we had Mike's fam over for more food and lots of fun. We laughed a little to hard.

Christmas 2008

Christmas was alot of fun this year. Our kids had alot of fun with all the activities. Mike was relieved to have a little time off after a very busy Christmas season at work. We always enjoy Christmas Eve with family and eating ourselves sick

Shelby helping me with Gingerbread Men.


Porter with his Star Wars Ship(He loves Star Wars)


Hunter with his new R/C Car



Shelby with her new dollhouse from Santa



Sorry it took so long, but here it is our exciting Christmas.