Bed Intruder!!

Ok I may have been out of the loop on this for way too long!  My family introduced these videos to me this last trip I took up to Utah.  One of the many things I look forward to when I see them, they always have new hilarious videos for me to watch! lol  You have to watch these two videos!!  Watch the Original first then the song.... I promise you'll laugh! lol

Sisters Sisters Sisters!

Arianne , Ashley, Britt, Jake, Morgan, me, Katherine, and Maison.

In order from oldest to youngest?

Britt, Ashley, me, Morgan, Katherine, Arianne, and Maison.

(Jake isn't a sister so he's not counted... this was the best pic I could find of all of us sisters!)

These are my sisters.  They are my best friends.  They make me laugh until I cry.  They lift me up when I'm down and I am so happy I don't have to live my life without them!  It's always hard to leave them and it's hard to live faraway from them.  Britt did live next to me for awhile and it was heaven!  Her husband Josh is a Marine so she has to move around a lot.  I think she'll be back in the few years and I can't wait!  Morgan's husband Jakers is a Marine too, Josh and Jake are both stationed in NC.  Morgan is living with Britt while Jake is deployed to Afghanistan.  I am so happy they have each other out there in nowheresville. lol  The support we give each other means so much to us.  One day we will all live on the same street and it will be haven!  We are hoping one day our dad will get rich.... like mega rich and buy us all houses on the same street! haha A girl can wish :)  

I love these girls and I can't wait to see them again!  

Gingersnaps mmmmmm mmmm

Ok so I just made some pretty darn good gingersnaps.  I have never made them before!  I thought to myself it's high time you made gingersnaps.  I found a recipe online then tweaked it a bit coz that's how I roll.  I thought you might all enjoy this recipe too.  My house now smells like Christmas which is a wonderful plus!

Gingersnaps           Preheat 350                 Bake 8-12 mins
1/2 cup Butter
1/2 cup Butter flavored Crisco
1 1/4 cups White Sugar
1 Egg
1/2 cup Molasses
1 tsp Vanilla
1 Tbs Ginger
1  tsp Cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp Salt
2 1/4 cups Flour
1/2 cup Sugar for decorating

Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy.  Then add egg, molasses, and vanilla stir until mixed well.  Then add ginger, cinnamon, salt, baking soda mix well.  Add flour 1 cup at a time.  Roll dough into 1 inch balls.  then roll balls in remaining sugar. Set on baking sheet and cook! If you want a crispy cookie bake for 12 min. If you want a softer chewy cookie bake for 8-10 mins.

I hope you enjoy!

Just Hear Me Out..... . +

I was walking Audrey into Preschool the other day over hearing a conversation a women was having on her cell phone.  She was obviously talking to one of her girl friend's about her husband complaining about their marriage and how he wants sex all the time, but she just doesn't want to give it to him... her own words "he's being so selfish".  She said she wanted to work on their marriage their "actual relationship" not their "sex life".  I wanted to stop her and tell her she shake her really...your "sex life" has everything to do with your "actual relationship"!  She doesn't understand to him, a man sex is the number one need, he needs from his wife.  Not just the "release" which is true he does really need this,  but the acceptance, and the assurance he feels from his wife.  Men need to feel like they are wanted,  they need to have their egos stroked, feel desirable and make them feel like they are your hero!  When you deny sex  from your husband he feels like you don't love him.  If having sex with your husband,  making him feel loved and wanted makes your marriage better...then to me why not do it?  So he wants it once a day.  It just once a day, and lets be real it's not like it lasts very long...what you can't give him 15 minutes of your time??  And really more like 3 times a week will do. lol

This woman was sitting there saying... me me me... I want this and that from him, but I'm not willing to give him what he wants???! This doesn't make any sense to me! You give him what he wants and he will in turn give you what you want.  Men are simple, way more simple than we are.  You give a man a good meal and some lovin and he's happy as can be.  When he's happy,  he will make you happy too.  It's a two way street!  Come on ladies stop making excuses like "I'm too tired." or "I'm just not in the mood."  If you have an open mind, come on you know you'll get in the "mood"  eventually.  He really physically, and emotionally needs this from you.  You can do it! You will be surprised how much better your "actual relationship" will be... seriously!
Ok I'm done. :D
    Oh Wait no I"m not haha....I recommend reading the Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands it really is a great book!

The Young Victoria

If you haven't seen the movie The Young Victoria I so recommend you do!  It's a beautiful story!  I just thought I'd put that out there. :)

Cool Beans Cool Beans....

I have eaten beans and rice since I was a kid.  It was a staple in our weekly meals all growing up.  Pot of beans, rice and corn bread....it's still actually one of my favorite dinners.  So you ask how do you make a good pot of beans?  Well start off with pinto of black beans, you can also do a mixture between the two.  Rinse them.  You can let them soak over night, I don't even do this because I forget to or I'm a plan the dinner a few hours before you cook dinner time type of planner. haha  So I just rinse the beans put them in my large pot.

1 package of beans
7-8 cups of water  (may need to add more like an hour or so later)
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
1/2-1 tsp Chili powder
1/2-1 tsp cumin
and my secret ingredient ....
4-6 tsp of Chicken bouillon
salt and pepper to taste

Add the ingredients stir and let it come to a boil then simmer for 2-3 hours.

The  bouillon really makes beans soooo much better!  I love my beans but I love beans.  I also use my food processor to make them into refried beans or make burritos or black bean tacos, or black bean enchiladas.  I have been very poor at times so I had to learn to use bean in different ways. lol  Luckily I'm not that poor anymore but I still do cook beans at least once a week....got a love them! :)

Jamie Oliver!

I heart Jamie Oliver.  I love what he stands for and what he is trying to do with his food revolution movement!   My husband decided to buy me his Food Revolution cookbook for Mother's Day.  I have love, love ,loved using it!  I have tried many of the recipes and I absolutely love them!  The flavors are divine and I so so so recommend this cookbook!  If you like curry he has some amazing curry recipes!  The recipes are easy and most of them take about an hour to cook.  But you are cooking from fresh ingredients so his recipes are generally healthy, but soooo yummy!  I'm telling you this cookbook is worth the buy! :)

Music

I love music.  I think if I had to between being deaf or blind, I would choose to be blind.  The thought of not being able to hear my babies laugh, or hear their babble and first words is very terrible!  I think sounds are the most moving things to me.  I love listening to people read books, or one of my favorites is listening to the rain!  I think I could go without seeing as long as I could hear the life going on around me.

When someones situation in their personal life moves me I sit down to my piano and write music.  It's so therapeutic for me.. me and my piano have a relationship don't judge! lol   Sometimes I can sit down to play and this music comes from my hands that I never knew I could create.  I really give the credit to God because I know he is the one that gives me the music for me to play.  I wrote a couple of songs for my sister a few months back for a wedding present to her.  I'm working on another one for my sister Ashley who is getting married in a couple of months.  I still can't believe I wrote those songs, I think they are beautiful!  But they are my songs and I'm connected to them.  I love getting inspiration it is one of the most amazing things I have ever felt.  Connecting to someone or something and showing it through song.  It makes me happy.  I'm always nervous to play the music for the person I'm writing it for because what if they don't like it!  I don't think they would tell me if they didn't ;)  When I miss that certain person I play their song and it comforts me. Even though they are so faraway from me I feel them with me through the music.  I think one day I will write enough songs for a CD, maybe one day I'll even give concert....maybe :) 

 I love it when I hear a song and it speaks to my soul.  Like this song Gravity by Sara Bareilles this song speaks to me.    

Really music part of my daily life, if I'm not listening to music I'm singing to my kids or playing my piano.  I hope that never changes!  YAY for music! lol

Mr. Johnson

I have to say I get to go see Jack Johnson in concert in October thanks to my ever so wonderful in-laws!  They bought Bret and I tickets, because they love us sooooo much! lol  I've wanted to see him in concert for years and now I actually get to!  I think he has a voice of an angel, and his lyrics are all so goodl....I love it when he sings about his wife...so beautiful!

Sometimes I think...ok I'm not crazy....it all makes sense now! lol

Running!

I can now say I am running a solid 3 miles!  I've never been a runner...ever!  Who would have thought that I would actually love it.  I've accomplished so much in the past 7 months that I never thought I would even attempt.  I've challenged myself in ways I've never done before and I've actually pulled through!  Exercising makes me a happy person,  and I do have to say I'm proud of myself for sticking to it.  I've lost almost all my preggy weight just a little bit left!  But really I exercise because it's one of the only things I can control in my life, and because it makes me happy....(the results are just an awesome side effect!).  The runners high is amazing, I get so much more done in my day!  I can go from being in a terrible mood before I run to...WoW life is amazing ...after my run! lol  So I say woot woot to running! :D

Yummy White Rolls

This recipe makes some delicious rolls!  My mom got the recipe from some lady at a wedding reception about 12 years ago.  I am requested to make these rolls every Sunday by my in-laws or where ever I'm eating dinner for that matter!   Bret's cousin would have me make them several times a week if I would. lol  I thought I should share this recipe with you all. :)  Please enjoy!  Oh and making honey butter to go with these...let me tell you....you will be in heaven for a few minutes!

Yummy White Rolls                       Pre Heat 350 

Ingredients:

½ cup	Sugar
1 ½ cup	Very warm milk (I put it in my microwave for about 2 minutes)
½ cup	Can milk
4 ½ tsp	Yeast
2	Eggs
¼ cup	Canola oil or vegetable oil or butter
2 tsp	Salt
4-6 cups	flour

Directions:

In a mixing bowl whisk sugar, milk, can milk, yeast, eggs, oil, salt and 2 cups of flour together until smooth.  Then using a dough hook mix 1 cup of flour in at a time until dough pulls from the sides, the dough will be a little wet and sticky.  Let the dough rest for about 10 mins. Then pull off about a size of a golf ball (maybe a little bit bigger) piece of the dough. And roll in the palm of your hand.  I always put Crisco on my hand so the dough doesn’t stick to my hands. Then place the roll on a greased baking sheet. Let rise until doubled in size which takes between 45 minutes to an hour.  The rolls cook between 15-25 min depending on your oven. You want them just barely gold on top...like just barely golden....so more like lightly golden. :)

This batch makes 20 big rolls or sometimes I make them a little bit smaller so it will make more like 30-35.

This recipe takes about 2 hours to make from start to finish.

Life Update

We are in a house finally!  I didn't think it would actually happen...but it has!  I still wake up thinking I'm in a hotel...not my house! lol  We do love it here.  There's so much more room for our stuff, I don't feel so cluttered now.  It's like awwwww phew that feels good! lol   I just want to paint, so then I can put up pictures, and hopefully a mirror (I told my dad I really wanted a big nice mirror...and if I know my papa he'll give some money towards my mirror!)  I totally need more money to decorate!  Little by little it'll happen. :) Lucky for us it's not a fixer upper house, other than the painting I want to do.  We already have the nice up grades like granite counter tops, tile flooring ect.  I have to thank our friends Joe and Stacy for giving us this opportunity. :D

Little miss Audrey is doing good.  She's almost walking normal again.  You should have seen her when she first started walking after the cast was taken off.  She looked like a caveman! lol  Now she's walking much better...I was very concerned there for a while! lol  Let me say it's so nice to have her walking again...I don't have to carry her everywhere now. :D  Audrey is a cute and feisty little girl.  Bret says she's just like me! lol  Her poor husband to be...I feel for him already ;)  She knows what she wants,  and how she wants it....yep she is just like me! lol  She is super sweet and very lovable, you just have to make her feel like a princess and she'll love you to death!  :)

Landon and Carson are doing good also.  I have the boys sleeping in the same room,( Audrey has her own fairy princess room.)  It's cute to see the boys together. Carson loves his big brother and Landon loves his baby brother.  When Landon comes home from school or if he's been gone hanging out with his uncle Brock...Carson can't wait for Landon to give him a hug and talk to him!  It's super cute!  Carson is the sweetest little boy...we all love him soooo much!  Landon is really turning into such a good  and kind little boy.  He lets me know he loves me all the time. I'm really lucky to have him in my life!

Best Bean Dip?

So on Saturday Bret and I went over to our friend's the Wuehlers to watch the Cowboys kick the Eagles butts.  Poor Brian was very upset about this because the Eagles are his favorite team! Sorry Brian! ;)  Anyway I through together a bean dip which ended up being the hit of the night? well it was pretty good so I promised to post the recipe so everyone else could enjoy it again and again! Here you go!

Cheesy Bean Dip
2 cups Cheddar Cheese
1 cup Mozzarella Cheese
1 (16 oz.) can Refried Beans
1 cup Sour Cream
2 Tbs. Taco Seasoning

In a bowl combine beans, sour cream, taco seasoning, and 3/4 of the shredded cheese. mix well then pour into 2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top. Bake uncovered. Preheat oven 350 degrees cook 20-30 mins. serve with tortillas chips.

Hope you enjoy!