This is the End . . . .

Of 2008!

I can't believe how fast 2005 has gone by! WOW! It's been fast paced with lots of changes and surprises! So, here's to ending the old year and starting the new year with a bang! For the month of January, I want to focus more on my eating habits. Not a diet, or following a set plan, but changing my bad to good! I'm thinking I'm going to have the kids go along for the ride and see how long we can make it last! So for the month of January, I'm going to be posting healthy recipes that I find and tweak to fit my cooking needs which fall into the category quick and easy to make! So long 2008 and hello 2009!

I Have a Problem

Seriously. Bad. Huge. Mistake.

I've been making cinnamon rolls today.

Seriously. Bad. Huge. Mistake.

I might have to not ever bake them again.

Seriously. Bad. Huge. Mistake.

The smell so heavenly.

Seriously. Bad. Huge. Mistake.

The taste so good.

Seriously. Bad. Huge. Mistake.

Here's the recipe:

Dough:
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup butter, melted
4 TBSP yeast
2 cups warm evaporated milk
3 TBSP white sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
8 1/2 cups of flour
1 instant vanilla pudding mix (3.4 ounces)
2 eggs

Filling:

1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups brown sugar
6 TBSP ground cinnamon
nuts and raisins optional

Frosting:
2 containers of your favorite cream cheese frosting

Combine all the dough ingredients in either your bread maker or bosch. Set the bread maker to the dough cycle and let it do it's thing. If your using a bosch, let the ingredients mix for about 15 minutes. Let rise for about 45 minutes in a warm place. Punch down and let rise again for about 30 minutes.

While the dough is on it's final rise, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl. Set aside for later.

Once the dough is ready, roll it out on a lightly floured flat surface. Roll it out into a big rectangle, about a 1/4 inch thick throughout. Spread the butter on the surface, until evenly coated. Sprinkle the brown sugar/cinnamon mix over the butter. Roll the dough, starting on the long side. Slice the roll into inch thick slices with a very sharp knife and arrange on a well greased pan. Let rise until doubled in height.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until the tops are a light golden brown. DO NOT OVERCOOK!!!

Remove from the oven and smear the cream cheese frosting over the tops. Enjoy hot or let cool for awhile!

Seriously. Bad. Huge. Mistake.

Divinity

Ok, I know this sounds complicated. But it's really simple, as long as you have a candy thermometer. A candy thermometer is way different than a regular thermometer, so make sure it's really a candy thermometer!

2 2/3 cups sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cups broken pecans - optional

Stir sugar, corn syrup and water over low heat until sugar dissolves. Cook without stirring, to 260 degrees on candy thermometer or until small amount of mixture dropped into very cold water forms a hard ball. In mixer bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Continue beating while pouring hot syrup in a thin stream into egg whites. Add vanilla, beat until mixture holds its shape and becomes slightly dull. Mixture may become too stiff for mixer. Fold in nuts. Drop mixture from tip of buttered spoon onto wax paper.

Easiest Fudge Ever

OK, so it's that wonderful time of the year! Time to bring out my inner kitchen diva! YeeeeHaaaaawwww! Christmas Goodies Galore!!!! Yum Yum! Here's my favorite fudge recipe:

3 cups milk chocolate chips
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup butter

Line an 8x8 pan with tin foil, leaving plenty of over lap. Place all the ingredients in a large microwave safe bowl. Zap for 3-5 minutes until the chips are melted, stirring ever minute. Give it a final stir before pouring into the pan. Refrigerate until set. Once set, lift the fudge out of the pan with the tin foil, much easier to cut and serve this way!

My Sister's Hot Cocoa

This is the very best Hot Cocoa recipe out there. Nuff said. Don't argue with me over this. Just trust me. (This makes a lot, but once you try it, it won't be enough!)

HOT COCOA

10 2/3 cups instant nonfat dry milk
6 ounce jar powdered non dairy creamer
2 cups powdered sugar
16 ounce can instant chocolate drink mix

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Put in airtight container. Store in cool dry place for up to 6 months.

Hahahahaha

So, I really haven't finished posting my thanksgivings for the month of November. Lets just say I was beat after the Thanksgiving rush. So to finish things out, here goes:
My family. Mom, Dad, siblings niece, nephew, all of my family. I had such a blast with Breezey and Jack Bug. They are just so cute! And I had a blast with my Mom and sisters just chillin. I'm so thankful for the chance to hang out together and just be a family. I'm also thankful for naps! Without them I don't know how I would have survived! I'm also thankful Thanksgiving is over and the Christmas season is finally here! I'm so excited and my kids are so very very excited! We have our Christmas tree up and decorated and new christmas clingons on the window and our stockings hung with care. I love this season and watching the excitement build in my children! It's the best! We opened our 1st day on our chocolate advent calendars today! Chocolate trains wooohooo! I know that only my sister will understand much of this, but oh well! Christmas music I am now allowed to offically blast for the next 24 days! Hot chocolate! I love this time if year! I'm so thankful for my many blessings and thank you for being patient enough to read my ramblings! So here's to a great thanksgiving season and looking forward to an awesome Christmas season!

Gram's Stuffing

This is all for you Ellyn! Please note, I have not measured out this recipe, it's one of those just add a little bit of this until it tastes good. My Gram taught this to me, and it's my favorite dressing in the whole world!

1 bag dried bread
1 package jimmy dean sage sausage
butter
2% milk
salt and pepper
sage
poultry seasoning
some celery and diced onions
some thyme

Crumble and cook the sausage until no longer pink. Drain off fat and rinse in warm water to get more fat off of it. While the sausage is cooking, simmer your diced onions and chopped celery in water until tender. In a Large bowl, Pour in your bread and seasonings and dry toss. Add in the cooked sausage and veggies. Mix well. Place in a large casserole dish and evenly distribute. Cover the bread in milk and add several generous butter pats all over the top of the bread mixture. Taste the mixture. Add more seasonings if desired. Bake in the over at 350 degrees until edges are brown. About halfway through add some more milk and more sage and poultry seasoning. I'm sorry if this is a really confusing recipe, but that's how Gram did it!

Roasting Chestnuts

Even though I can't have chestnuts, my boss has asked my to come up with a recipe for Roasting Chestnuts! You can do this on an open fire with Jack Frost nippin at you nose, but the oven works just as well!

First, rinse off the chestnuts that you buy from the store. Most grocery stores at this time of year have an open bin of them in produce. Try to buy those instead of the ones that come prepackaged in a plastic bag. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Next place one chestnut on a padded surface, like a clean kitchen towel, just so the nut is stationary and won't move. Then cut a cross into it's surface.

Place all the chestnuts you and your guests want to eat cross side up on a cookie sheet and sprinkle them with water.

Pu them in the oven uncovered for about 25-30 minutes or until the skins start peeling back from the nut. While they are roasting, line a bowl with a clean towel.

Once the nuts are roasted, place them in the towel lined bowl and wrap them within the towel for about 5 minutes.

Serve while still warm, the skins peel easier that way. Peel and sprinkle with some salt or a cinnamon sugar mixture. Or just enjoy them plain! If the nuts get cold while you're still eating them, place them back in the oven to heat them back up!

Thanksgivings Day 23 & 24

Here I am slacking off again. Oh well. One of these days I'll get better at blogging.

Day 23 - I'm thankful for super glue. As most of you know right now, it's my super busy time at work and that I work with my hands. With the air being dry here and my hands always in and out of water, my skin cracks on my hands. And of course I get the occasional nick on my hands also. No matter how much lotion I use, they are always getting really sore and splitting. I know duct tape works the best on my cracked fingers, but I can't do that while I'm handling food. So I've resorted to super glue! Yup, that's right, super glue to keep my war wounds all sealed up while I go on my merry way! Also the super glue lasts a lot longer than a band-aide and helps keep the cracks from cracking more! So yes I'm very thankful for super glue!

Day 24- I'm thankful for my quiet time in the morning before I wake the kids up. It's become my time of the day where I read my scriptures, have a nice glass of OJ and just prepare myself for the day. Even though I only read for about a half an hour, it still starts my day off on the right foot with uplifting thoughts and peace in my soul. Lately I've been using the topical guide and looking up scriptures that pertain to certain words. Today I looked up the word thankful and was directed to Psalms 100. It's a good read, look it up! Let's just say I'm pretty uplifted today! So not only am I thankful for my quiet time, I'm thankful very much for my scriptures too!

Thanksgivings Days 21 & 22

Here we go again, I'm slacking in my thankfulness. Argh.

Day 21 - I'm thankful I can identify different species of animals accurately. It amazes me how many people get deer, elk and moose all confused. Someone I know was showing me a picture of a huge moose that she saw on her vacation. I couldn't help but laugh. I said,"Hun, that's not a moose, but a mule deer, a tiny one at that!" I guess I take for granted sometimes for the beautiful place I was raised with all sorts of wildlife running around. But I must say, please, before you go braggin about the HUGE Moose you saw in your camp site; make sure it was really a moose!!!

Day 22 - I'm thankful for Harmons. I know I've blogged about the people I work with, but I'm thankful for the company as a whole. It is an awesome place to work for. They actually care about the little people. They've provided me a great place to earn a paycheck with cool perks. To name a few, tickets to Lagoon, Christmas turkey or ham, Chirstmas Day completeley off, vacation time, sick pay, wellness programs, employee rewards and so on. Today was interesting at work, to say the least. It just seemed like nothing was getting done, not for lack of trying might I add! We were crazy busy and I was starting to feel panicy about the up coming holiday and so on. So the gals and are busy doing our thing when they page all department managers up to the front end. No big deal, whatever. Then Glenn (my boss) calls our phone and asks Ellyn to tell me to go up front to help Glenn set up a display over by the deli and just meet him at the booth. Something was up. We weren't going to have a display over by the deli. So I go walking over to the booth from back in prodce and I see ALL the stores department managers and our store director waiting up from with Glenn grinning like a Cheshire cat and waving me over. My face starts burning up and I almost cried. I was nominated Employee of the Month for all my hard work, great customer service and so on. Part of my reward for this is a cake (Yum), ballons (the kids love them), a pin to go on my uniform, and a $50 gift card of my choice. I'm pretty stoked about this even though I was mortally embarrassed to be put in the spotlight like that while the front end was pack with customers and produce associates and other department managers! The whole store was full of hollering and clapping! All in all, it was a good day. So yeah, I'm thankful for my job and that I won't have a chance to be Employee of the Month for a long time again!!!!

Thanksgivings Days 18, 19 & 20

I'm getting so busy at work that by the time I get home, I'm just exhausted! So that's why I haven't been as diligent in my blogging the past little while. Sorry!

Day 18 - I'm thankful for friends and friendships! I'm so glad I have friends and great friendships with them! Some people say they don't need friends, but I think that's why they are really lonely! I so enjoy having someone to talk to, to be with and to have fun with! So thank you to all of my friends!

Day 19 - I'm thankful for my day off today. This will be my last day off until after Thanksgiving. Nine days straight of working. It'll be rough, but well worth it! So I'm going to relax and de-stress and not worry about veggie trays!

Day 20 - I'm so very thankful for my husband! Not only is he my husband, he's my best friend! I just got home from work a little bit ago and I walked into a super clean house, dinner cooking and happy kids! He seems to know what I need most when I need it! Without him I'd be so lost! And Thomas, even though your are a butt sometimes, I do love you and appreciate every thing you do for the kids and I! Thank you!

Thanksgivings Day 17

Yesterday I was thankful for chocolate. I know that sounds incredibly selfish, but there you go. There's just something about chocolate that gives you a nice, sweet little pick up saying everything is good at this moment. Chocolate is kinda like a band-aid for the soul. Yum!

Thanksgivings Day 16

Today I'm thankful for time spent together as a family. We had a wonderful day today just being together as a family. We went to breakfast and a Christmas show and had a ball! We saw Santa, talked about all sorts things and just enjoyed each others company! I am so thankful for my little family, they make my day brighter and life such a good place!

Thanksgivings Days 13, 14, 15

I'm such a slacker!!!!! Argh!!!! So my bad, that I've not been posting my thanks. Life has been busy, but that shouldn't be an excuse! So here goes for the past three days:

Day 13: My electric knife sharpener at work! Yes I do know how to sharpen my own knifes with a steel, but heck that takes a half an hour per knife! Time I do not have!!!! So with my nice nifty knife sharpener, my knifes go fro sadly dull to wickedly sharp in no time! It makes chopping veggies and fruits so very much easier!!!

Day 14: My daycare provider. Daisy and her daughters are absolutely awesome! They are the best caregivers I have had for my children so far! They teach the same principles to my children that I teach them, watch over them like hawks, make sure they are safe and are just so wonderful with my kiddos! I can't tell them thank you enough!!!

Day 15: Policemen. So I was driving down state street Saturday morning and one of those stupid bullet bikes came up behind me from the rear, rode my rear super close (I could see that the guys eyes were blue!) and then gunned it past me, in between me and another car and then proceeded to cut me off so I had to slam on the brakes. Right after I slammed on my brakes, the cop I didn't notice behind me flashes on his lights. So I'm thinking crap this is not going to be a good day. But instead of pulling me over, he pulled over the idiot on the bullet bike instead! Finally! So thank you to all the law enforcement officers out there that protect us and pull over those stupid bullet bike people!

Thanksgivings Day 12

Today I'm thankful for my kids' school teachers. The are such wonderful, amazing people with such dedication to children! My kids love going to school, love their teachers and love learning! I'm so glad that and grateful for such good teachers! John has really come out of his shell, and Carol has really blossomed! They are both actually disappointed when it's the weekend or a holiday! So thank-you to all teachers out there who make learning fun and enjoyable and for teaching children because you truly care about children!

Thanksgivings Day 11

Ok, ok, ok, I know, I missed yesterday's post. Yesterday was my day off, and boy, was I busy! I went up to Clinton to see my sister Stacy and her daughter Breezy and took John with me. Lets just say I'm thankful for who ever thought to put a dvd player in a car!!! John loved watching his cartoons while I drove up there and back. It's so nice to have something to entertain him while I drive!

Thanksgivings Day 10

I am thankful today for the people I work with. My manager Glenn is a an awesome person to work for. We have loads of fun and great times while we work hard to keep produce looking good. My fellow teammates Ellyn and Dee Dee keep me very well entertained and help make the day pass by faster! The other guys on the crew are so much fun also. I don't think I would enjoy work so much if I didn't work with such stellar people! Produce is definitely the best place to work! I'm very thankful for the best work environment out there! Kudos!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta

8 ounces egg noodles, uncooked, medium size
1/3 cup flour
2 cups skim milk
1 1/2 cups Appenzellar cheese, shredded
2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced
2 tbsp brown mustard
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 cup cooked ham, diced
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

Cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. While the noodles cook, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Combine flour and 1/3 cup milk in a saucepan, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Place the pan over medium heat, whisk in the rest of the milk and mustard. Cook 6 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low. Add the cheese, stirring until melted. Stir in the chicken, peas, ham and black pepper and serve hot over the drained noodles. The Appenzellar cheese can be substituted with a Swiss or Jarlsberg cheese.

Thankgivings Day 9

Sunday. There are so many things I am thankful for on Sundays. I was thinking in church today about what I could write and it hit me, I'm thankful for my freedom of religion. I know I wrote earlier this week about my freedom to vote, but this freedom is much greater in my eyes. Our great country was founded by people who wished to get out from under the tyrannical thumb of the King of England so they could have the freedom to worship their beliefs that they choose, not the King. Without these peoples desire to be free, this county would not have been created and set up for the Restoration of the Gospel. I am very thankful that I could sit in church today and worship freely, pray openly, sing hymns, and enjoy the blessings of the sacrament. Yes, today I am very thankful for my freedom of religion.

Thankgivings Day 8

Today's the 8th of November, and I'm thankful college football season will be over soon! I really don't mind it that much, I'm just not a huge fan! I'd rather be watching a movie and snuggling with my husband than sitting here on the computer blogging and listening to college ball. I know way more than I ever wanted to know about football. Why do I need to know that Utah played their blackout game against the Horned Frogs I don't know!!! Or that BYU has only lost one game this season but yet they rank only 17th. Huh. I don't get it. I don't want to get it either. But in order to have a conversation with my husband while he's watching the games intently, I come up with these questions. I am glad that he's not much into the NFL this year and that college fb is almost over. The final games are coming and then I'll only have to deal with he bowl games. WhoooHoooo!

Thanksgivings Day 7

Today I am very thankful my husband is coming home! He's been gone to a Les Schwab Tire's brakes class that is required to promote up into a supervisor position. He left on Wednesday morning to drive to Prineville Oregon. The kids and I have missed him something fierce, but we are glad he's at his class. So he'll be home around 11:00pm tonight! It's funny how our home feels different when he's gone. the kids said they are going to try to stay awake to see their Dad, we'll see about that! Thank goodness tomorrow is Saturday and they don't have school! Thomas has the day off also, so they get to be with their Dad all day. Unfortunatly I do have to work, but I'll get all day Sunday with Thomas and the kids! I'm so excited he's coming home!!!

Thanksgivings Day 6

Today I'm thankful for colored paper, scissors and glue. These three simple things are heaven sent. My darling children where absolutely insane tonight while I was getting dinner ready and the house picked up. But give a child three simple items and silence fills the house as they create princess crowns and monsters. Dinner didn't get burned, the floor vacuumed and the house is at peace. The kids are happy, Mama's happy and all is well. Now I wonder if someone has invented something to remove the mysterious blob of paper and glue from my tabletop?

Thanksgivings Day 5

So today I'm very thankful for books. I love books, fiction, nonfiction and so on. I can't get enough! Without books, we'd only have the stories of others close to us to listen to. With books we can read about others' stories without having to leave our home! Last night, my daughter, Carol read her first book all by herself! It was just a really simple book, but she read it! I am so proud of her! She's loved reading with me, but now, she can start discovering a new world with every book she opens up and reads! I can't wait to share with her some of my childhood favorites! I am so lucky to live in a place where I can get as many books as I want from the local library and enjoy! So pick up a book tonight, and immerse yourself in a different world and enjoy!

November 4th Thanksgiving

Today I am very thankful for my choice to vote. Not only is it my choice, but my right and my freedom! I have the freedom to choose who I will vote for, and have a chance to voice my opinion on who runs the government, what laws passes and so on. Without this freedom, I would not have a say on what happens in this country I live in. I could be stuck living under the iron fist of a dictatorship and have no voice at all. Here in the United States, we all have a voice, all have an opinion and all have a choice. So make you choice and let your voice be heard instead of complaining about something you could change! Voting is a major thing to be thankful for, and I'm proud of my chance and choice to vote!

Thanksgivings

So, I've just read my sisters' blogs, Patty and Tiana, and I've been inspired to try to be more thankful this month, being Thanksgiving and all. I've had a pretty rough day today, but after reading their blogs, I feel uplifted and at peace, like this was what I was looking for today to help me get through everything. So, like Patty, I'm going to try to post something I'm thankful for every day this month. All three of my sisters have such beautiful testimonies and their words seemed to uplift today. Thank you for that! And since it's November 3rd today, I need to post three things I'm thankful for. So here goes . . . . .

#1 - I'm thankful for family. All of my family. Husband, kids, parents, brothers, sisters and so on. Without them, I'd be so lost. I love my family so very very much! I know we all annoy each other at times, but heck how boring would life be if we weren't all different? I enjoy spending time with all of them, and wish that I had spent more time with everyone before they all moved away! As for Thomas and the kids, wow, I can't love them enough! Thomas is such a solid rock for me and gives me such love and support! And the kiddos, they are the best!

#2 - I'm thankful for rain! For one, I just love rain. Secondly, rain brings so many wonderful things! Fresh smells & Life! I love being able to sit at home listening to the rain with my window cracked just a little bit to let in that wonderful smell! It's just so refreshing!

#3 - And finally, for today, I'm grateful for prayer. Without prayer, I don't know how I would have made it through today. Thomas was in a car wreck this morning and totaled his car. He's ok, he just has a gooseegg on his head and a scrape or two. I was so freaked out after he called, wondering how we'd make everything work out, towing bill, paying a ticket, paying for a new vehicle, how would Thomas get to work until finding a new car, what to do with the totaled car, and everything else. Stress upon stress, anxiety attack galore. Then I remembered one of those saying boards, "When life gets too hard to stand, Kneel." So I did. Afterwards I felt a little bit better, at least able to face the day. And throughout the day,as I went to work, then up to SLC to take care of the car, and so on, everything seems to be working out. My husband was ok, it could have been a lot worse. My boss worked with me, and I was able to go up to SLC to help Thomas with taking care of the car. Yes the car is totaled, but the towing company said that if we sign the title over to them, we wouldn't have to pay the towing bill or storage fee and they'd take care of the car. The damage on the other vehicle was minimal. Thank goodness for insurance. The driver of the other vehicle is ok, and very nice. Thomas's boss is letting him borrow a service truck until we find a different car. Thomas's parents have a small car that they'll let us buy. Thomas isn't badly hurt. As for the ticket, well, we'll just deal with it. But without prayer, I don't think my day would have gotten better, but worse. And after reading Patty's and Tiana's blogs, their words gave me a final bit of peace to where I can now see everything is really going to be ok and I have so much to be thankful for. Like it says in the scriptures:
"Yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever. Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day." (Alma 37: 36-37)

Butternut Squash Bisque

This is a very yummy, warm your toes bisque! Great for fall weather and wintertime!

2 TBSP butter or olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
2 potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 medium sized butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped
32 oz chicken of vegetable squash
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning or to taste
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 cup Half and Half or Heavy whipping cream

In a large pot, melt butt or heat oil. Sautee veggies in oil for 5 minutes. Add seasonings. Cover veggies with broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes or until everything is very tender. Transfer all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Return to pot, bring to a simmer and add half and half to obtain desired consistency.

The Littlest Pumpkin

Thanks to my sis for this new pic. I just could not resist!!!!!! Isn't he sooooo cute!!! The Gram has dubbed him the candy corn baby. I can't wait to go see him again!

Carol's Birthday Party

Tonight, we celebrated Carol's 6th Birthday out at my parents house. What a fun time! Oupa and Granny, Aunt Debbie, RJ, Stacy and Kambree and my parents were all there out at my parent's home. For birthday dinner we had hot dogs and steak cooked on the campfire, cheetos, funeral potatoes, rolls, and green salad. Roll out the Pepto!!! Thomas was able to make it for dessert, which was a good thing. Carol was sooooo excited about her birthday cake. It was a cake built out of cupcakes to look like a cupcake! After trying to blow out the tricktsy candles, we opened presents!!! Carol was so excited! She got some Diamond Castle Barbies, clothes, a necklace kit, a stuffed puppy and all sorts of great stuff!!! It was such a good day!!!!

The Great Pumpkin

Miss Breezy and her Daddy














John Picking Jack's Pumpkin














Carol and her Pumpkin














Kambree and the Candies














So every year we go out to my folk's place and get our pumpkins for Halloween. It was freezing cold this year!!!! We had snow flakes this morning, and the wind was blowing and it was just down righ cold!!! For some magical reason, Papa and Gram get the biggest and best pumpkins overnight. It must be Gram's special miracle grow or something. John picked out Jackbug's first pumpkin, Carol picked out Tiana's pumpkin, John picked Uncle Lew's pumpkin and Carol picked out Patty's pumpkin and so on. Miss Breezy was there too, and had a jolly time getting into Gram's treat bowl and entertaining all of us during dinner. It's was such a fun time, even though we missed Lew & Patty and Tiana, Dan and Jackbug.

My Sister's Taco Soup

1 lb browned ground beef
1/2 onion
10 oz can Rotel tomatoes
15 oz can corn (do not drain)
15 oz can stewed tomatoes (do not drain)
15 oz can diced tomatos (do not drain)
15 oz can kidney beans (do not drain)
15 oz can pinto beans (do not drain)
5 oz can diced chiles
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 pkg dry Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix


Combine in a crock pot for on low for 6 hours. Delicious when served with shredded cheese, sour cream, and scoop tortilla chips.

He's Here!!!!

Hi Everyone!

I'm so excited! My nephew, Jack Charles Miller has arrived! He was Born October 1st, 2008 at 2:04 A.M. He is 5 pounds 15 ounces and 18 1/4 inches long and just too cute! I have not met this little guy in person yet, hopefully Sunday. But from the pictures I scalped from Dan, I'm in love with this little guy! Oh he's just adorable! He's got the cutest little pout! And what kissable cheeks! Sorry, I'm having an Aunty moment! Kinda excited here! My sister, Tiana is doing just fine, from what I hear she was very calm during labor and delivery! She's going to be such an awesome Mommy! I am also very proud to call Dan my brother in law. He didn't pass out or wuss out like my husband did during labor and delivery. Congrats to the new little family! Oooooooohhhhhhh he's just sooooooooo cute!!!!! :)