morning smoothie

(Picture courtesy of Martha Stewart whole living)

Try this for a change in your m0rning routine



1 ripe banana

1/2 c. vanilla yogurt

1 peach (bottled)

peach juice

1/2 c. crushed ice

splash of vanilla

sprinkle of nutmeg



blend and enjoy

Weekend in St. George

who says kids don't have the power to move mountains?
These kids sure can... they are the greatest!

Andy REALLY ENJOYED HIS DINNER he licked his plate clean and flirted with everyone who walked by...

Good times rock throwing with Grandpa Ford

Could it get any more beautiful

There's got to be a hidden message in this picture... (something about eternity and generations and looking at the future.... at least that's what I got out of this picture)

we had such fun climbing on these rocks... unfortunately that is the only time I got the camera out... what was I thinking?

We went to watch my nieces dance at a competition.. and oh man... they were awesome! I only wish that I had half the talent and cuteness and energy that they do. We got the best of both worlds being with both sides of our family. Thanks to all who came and made the trip such fun.

Enrichment Success!

Last night was Enrichment and it was a great success. We had 83 people come. Wow!!! We celebrataed the Relief Society Birthday, our theme was ... "A Night of Good Fortune" Dinner not only stretched farther than we thought possible, but tasted great! We had chinese lettuce salad, chinese noodle salad, pork won tons, crab and cream cheese won tons, fruit sherbet... and fortune cookies.

I promised that I would post the recipes of the things that I made, so here they are:

Chinese lettuce Chicken Salad
1/2 lb. white chicken shredded
1 head lettuce
4 stalks green onion
3 stalks celery
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
2 Tbsp chopped almonds
rice noodles/bean threads

dressing:
2 Tbsp Sugar
2 Tsp salt
1 tsp accent
1/2 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp oil
1 Tbsp sesame oil
3 Tbsp Japanese vinegar

mix salad ingredients, deep fry rice noodles, mix dressing and toss imediately before serving.

fortune cookies:
(I made some and a friend Crystal made some)
Preheat oven to 300

mix:
2 egg whites
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
3 Tbsp oil
whisk until frothy and thick but not stiff.
8 Tbsp flour
8 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp corn starch
3 tsp water
mix until batter is smooth and will easily fall of a spoon.

drop batter 1 Tbsp at a time on cold, greased baking sheet. swirl baking sheet until desired roundness and size circle. working 3 at a time until you get the hang of it. Bake cookies 14 minutes. remove quickly from pan and place fortune (i found these LDS fortunes here)in center, fold in half and pinch down center over rim of a glass. Let cool in muffin tin. work quickly... as they harden fast.

here's a pretty good picture tutorial for you.


and then last... Julie made the desert sherbet stuff but it is really easy....

softened pineapple sherbet
1 bag frozen tripple berries
chopped bananas

refreze and serve
**delicious...especially with the fortune cookies.

It was a great springy light menu... and a fun and different way to share dinner.

Focus on the Family

This is a good one... thought I might share. I've been downloading MP3 "Podcasts" from http://www.focusonthefamily.com/ It's a Christian based website with counseling and lots of interactive ways to hear advice. There are great insights into marriage, parenting, and family life things, just short little bits. They are great! Go check them out!
Thanks Jennalee...the one on communication was awesome I need to go download a bunch more. The MP3 player in the car is a great idea too!

Baby Ellie.... I'm a very proud "Great-Aunt"

This is my Neice Aubri's baby... Ellie... We cannot get enough of her. My little Andy ooo's and Ahhh's over her every chance he gets to see her. She's on my cell phone wall paper and I hope Aubri doesn't mind her gracing the page of my blog. The pictures were taken by my cousin Tom's wife... SOOOOO CUTE ELISE.... With Whimsy Photography is amazing!!! Can't wait to meet her in real life. If only we lived a little closer.... (sigh)

make a wish

Happy Birthday Nick - seriously... where did 6 years go?

classroom st patty's day idea

first the recipe:

8 oz. corn pops (or half a big bag)

1 cube butter

1/2 c. corn syrup

1 c. brown sugar

1 tsp. soda

mix and stir 2 minutes in 2 quart sauce pan until bubbles begin to form around edges. add 1 tsp soda and stir. pour slurry over corn pops and coat well. spread onto large baking sheet and bake in 250 oven for 15 minutes stirring every 5 minutes. let cool on baking sheet

Now the fun: (first of all I found the green pail at family dollar for $4 in their outdoor section...pots can be green right?)

on top of the carmel corn pop gold was more loot... twixes and wonka chocolate eggs.

OUR POT OF GOLD

now: Here's the idea...

I'm going to go to my son's 5th grade classroom and hide peices to the below pictured horseshoe puzzle under chairs and things ... and the pot of gold... somewhere in the classroom. They won't suspect a thing. then when I will show up after lunch and tell them that my friend "Lucky the Leprechaun" left them a pot of gold somewhere in the room and there are clues to a riddle that they need to find, they will get the puzzle peices and solve the riddle and find the pot of gold.

see if you can tell where the pot of gold will be hidden?

every classroom has this spot...

?????

pot of gold cupcakes

Just sittin' here with my feet up! :)
actually, it's a must... this little one is (as you can plainly see by the nose on his face...) not feeling tip top today. sortof feeverish and whinny... not my favorite.

We did manage to get some delicious cupcakes made for the company that is soon to come...Grandma and Grandpa!!!

Pot of Gold Cupcakes:
1 box yellow cake mix
1/3 c. oil
4 eggs
1 c. buttermilk
mix and bake 15 minutes. (I found the cute papers at the local grocery store.)

Chocolate chip ganache
1 cube butter
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. evaporated milk

cook and stir constantly until full rolling boil

add:
1/2 c. milk chocolate chips
1/2 c. semi sweet chocolate chips
(I like the guittard brand in the silver and gold wrappers)

stir until smooth and glossy.

after cupcakes have cooled, dip cupcake tops into smooth warm frosting. set on cooling rack to cool and set ganache. *repeat if desired as it will make a lot of ganache.

St. Patrick's Day

Looking forward to the LUCKIEST DAY OF THE YEAR? we are too.

gotta take treats in to my son's class @ school... got any great ideas? I wanted to put something in a black pot that resembled gold. Keep in mind it can't be homemade (stupid rule if you ask me...) I thought about some kind of trail mix or carmel popcorn or something... what do you suggest, I would love to hear?....

*I wish that colorful popcorn you can find at candy shops or Tia Pan wasn't so dang pricy... That would be cute..... hmmm

Here's my banner I saw on someone's blog (sorry... I find these things and then forget where.) Just printed the letters on the computer, cut circles out of card stock and used cupcake liners for the middle crinkle part.

Hope you get LUCKY!

(what a wierd word... say it a bunch of times...lucky, lucky, lucky, lucky... wierd)