Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Things I am Grateful for this Thanksgiving:

1. My amazing husband/ best friend/eternal companion

2. My new teenager, Jacob

3. My girl, Ellie

4: My middle man, Joey

5. My sweet Jared

6. My baby, Johnny

7. A beautiful home in a beautiful place.

8. The Gospel of Jesus Christ

9. Luxuries we love about our new home:  a garage, dishwasher, and disposal.  It's been way too long since I've had any of those.

10. Our 14 year old van that has almost 180,000 miles and just keeps plugging along.

Have a  Wonderful Thanksgiving!

Make a Meal Monday

Brown Bag Turkey

Prepare turkey with the stuffing and spray the breast with Pam.  Place the turkey in a large brown paper bag.

Mash the bag down around the turkey and tuck the ends underneath.

Place the turkey in a cold oven.  Set the oven to 500 degrees and bake for one hour. Lower the temp to 400 degrees and bake for one hour.  Lower the temp to 300 degrees and bake for one more hour. Take the turkey out of the oven and let it sit for a 1/2 hour. Peel open the bag to find your perfect turkey*.

I learned this turkey cooking method from my mom.  It is the only way we've ever cooked a turkey.  It is so easy and it works every time.

*This works for a 12 lb to 20 lb turkey.  Add 15 minutes per hour for a turkey larger than 20 lbs.

Need sides with that?

See here for creamy mashed potatoes.

See here for delicious rolls.

Leftover turkey and stuffing?  Try this.

Beauty Is...

 

Ellie took this photo and entered it into the Reflections contest.  The theme was "Beauty is..."  She won honorable mention!

Kindergarten Conversation

This is a conversation between Jared and me last night.


Me:  Jared, please clean up your crayons and paper.


Jared: How am I supposed to do this all by myself?!  I'm not Jesus!!




Which reminded me of something similar Jacob said when was about that age.  When asked to clean up his toys he replied: I don't have three hands!!

Happy Friday!

Anniversary

14 years ago we started this whole thing.  

We were so in love, 

so young, 

so naive,
so...thin! 

We had no idea what we were getting into. 

But we wouldn't change a thing!

Top Ten Tuesday

Tomorrow Bryan and I celebrate 14 years together!

In honor of my amazing husband, here are 10 things I love about him:

1. He is so handsome! 

2. He has the most beautiful blue eyes I've ever seen.  Seriously, beautiful! His eyes were the first thing I noticed about him.

3. He is so friendly and outgoing.  If you sit next to him, you will be best friends in a matter of minutes.

4. He accepts everyone, no matter what.  He is the most non-judgmental person I know.

5. He has an incredible spirit.

6. He has a firm testimony of the Gospel, a love for the Savior, and honors his Priesthood.

7. He is positive and uplifting.  Especially when I am having a bad day.

8. He is the best Dad.

9. He is very funny and very smart!

10. Uh, hello? He is so cute!  Look at him! Yummy!

Make a Meal Monday

Sweet Pork

(Cafe Rio style) 

2 pound pork roast

3 cans Coke (NOT diet!)

1/4 cup brown sugar

dash of garlic salt

1/4 cup water

1 can diced green chilies

1 can red enchilada sauce

1 cup brown sugar

Put the pork in a heavy duty zip lock bag to marinate with  1/2 can of Coke and 1/4 cup brown sugar. Marinate for a few hours or overnight.

Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can Coke, water and garlic salt in crock pot on high for 3-4 hours, or until it shreds easily. Remove pork from crock pot and drain liquid left in pot.  Shred pork.

In food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and 1 cup brown sugar.  Add more coke if it looks too thick.  Put shredded pork and sauce in crock pot and cook on low for two hours.  Enjoy!!

Kindergarten Conversation

Jared: Today I got a time out at school.  I had to sit in the class for two minutes at recess.

Me: Why?

Jared: I was talking when I wasn't supposed to.

Me: Who were you talking to?

Jared: My friend, Jordan.

Me: What was so important to talk to Jordan about that it couldn't wait?

Jared:  Hmm, I don't remember.  I guess when I was walking it just fell out of my brain.

Thursday Thirteen

Johnny is 13 Months old!

Wordless Wednesday

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Things Happening at Our House (in no particular order):

1.  Jared has his first loose tooth. He has been waiting years for this- literally!  He is SO EXCITED!

2. Bryan is now the Young Men's president, things just got a lot busier around here. But he is excited about working with the youth.

3. I am the Young Women Personal Progress leader.  We have our YW in Excellence in one week.  We are doing a program about the Ten Virgins, which has 11 of the girls doing parts.  We have had only a few girls coming to church and activities lately- I am worried that they won't show up next week.

4.  Today the new Call of Duty game came out. Jacob traded in several old games and put all of his birthday money into this game.  He and Bryan were going to pick it up at midnight and play all day.  But Jacob had to be at school today for a test.  Bummer!  Hopefully he won't have too much homework and he can play before YM tonight.

5.  We found out that after sending Jacob to scouts over the last 2 years NOTHING has been marked off.  Not within the two wards we've been in or on his "official record".  Makes me mad that he's wasted his time.  He goes every week.  I hate scouts! (according to Bryan he hasn't wasted his time because he's still learned things and had a good time- but still!)

6.  Now that John has walking down he has no respect for baby gates.  He just pushes them out of his way and goes about his business of pulling apart the house. We have to keep a close eye on that kid.

7. I have been trying to get video of John walking, but every time I get the camera out he won't perform.  As soon as I get decent video of it, I will post it. He walks with his arms straight out, like Frankenstein- it's so cute!


8. I am loving this fall.  It's my favorite time of year and the weather has been beautiful.  It reminds me of the year we got married.  It was mild and warm like this.  Then a blizzard came through the day we drove back from our honeymoon.

 
9.  We were planning to go to the temple to do sealings for our anniversary next week, but I found out on Sunday that the Mt. Timp temple is closed for two weeks for maintenance. 

10. I love my family!  They are awesome!

Make a Meal Monday

Steak and Black Bean Chili

1-2 Pounds lean Stew Meat

1 medium Bell Pepper, diced

1 medium Onion, diced

2 (15 oz) cans Black Beans, drained and rinsed

1 (28 oz) can Crushed Tomatoes

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp cumin

1 (6oz) can Tomato Paste

Shredded Cheese

Sour Cream

Place stew meat in crock pot and turn on low.  Sprinkle meat with chili powder,  garlic powder, and cumin. Place peppers, onion, black beans, and crushed tomatoes on top.  Cover and cook for 8-10 hours.  Add tomato paste and mix well.  Serve with shredded cheese and sour cream.

Just for Fun Friday

I am taking a Digital Media class, in which I have used Photoshop for the first time.  So Just For Fun Friday, here are some of the projects that I was working on instead of blogging in the recent past.

 

Wordless Wednesday

{my Pumpkin Head is WALKING!!!}