Sometimes....

...I love snow!

And I love buying new tights!! Purple diamond style. So gorgeous! All my fellow church-goers will see them tomorrow!

And I've decided to now buy EVERYTHING from Ross. Clothes, kitchen stuff, home decor, shoes. They have everything! And it's extra cheap.

Check this out!

I thought people might like to know about this. I went yesterday and got a few things myself. I hope it's a semi annual thing, so I can go again soon!

Also, if you're looking for cheap cereal, smith's (today only!) Kellogs is 50% off. And if you have coupons, like I did, it'll be even cheaper. I got 7 boxes for $6.85. So I'm happy

Thanksgiving Weekend

This year, for the first time since we've been married, we went to my parents for Thanksgiving. A bunch of siblings were there. Liz and her family (Rod, Zach, Marinda, Michael, Matthew, Paul, and little Eve in Liz's tummy), Joe, Sara and her family (Jason, Jalen, Christian, and Seth), Beka and Nathan, Me, Derek, and Jonah. Of course, we ate lots of good food. I made cheesecake. Pumpkin and marble. So yummy. This was one of my treat weekends. I got three big dinners! Thanksgiving at my parents thursday, dinner at Anne and Richard's (Sara's in-laws), Pork loin roast, the next night, and turkey at my mom's again saturday.

We got in wednesday evening and Sara, Jason, and I went to the 10 PM showing of new moon. So funny! But not intentionally. Check this out, you will laugh http://microsuede.blogspot.com/2009/11/movie-review-twilight-saga-new-moon.html.

And now a few pictures.

Jonah was so happy to be out of the car that he

didn't go to bed until very late that night.

Sharing some desserts with Jonah
while Derek takes a nap

I just like his expression in this picture

Seth playing on a drum with his daddy

Haha

Beka's old friend from high school, Melissa,
came and visited with her little girl McKenna.
I do't know how many concerts we went to with her!

Had a visit with Heather's mom, Sis. Rickords

Liz's kids, Marinda, Matthew, and Paul
having a cuddle with Jonah

Sleeping in the backseat. The sun was in their faces.
Hence the blanket and pillow

Beka and Nathan were so nice and awesome to keep
Jonah entertained on the way up and back

I got to visit with some people I haven't seen in a long time. Chris's mom made Jonah a beautiful baby blanket and did it in a short period of time, because she only knew about Jonah a few days before that! They loved him!

All in all it was a very good weekend. Full of laughing and fun

The time has come

Jonah has figured out how to climb up in the crib and be standing when I go get him in the morning. I guess it's time to move the mattress down. I don't want him falling out!

Trains and a halloween peek!

We went to see the trains on saturday so Derek could take some pictures for his photography assignment and for his secret santa stuff. I got to be the assistant. And Jonah got to see the trains for the first time! And me too.

This train wheel was as tall as Derek!

This is a good face. I like it :)

We were the Tenenbaums for Halloween. Derek as Richie,
Me as Margot, and Jonah as Buckley. I wish that my wig was fitting right.
We should try again in a few years and see how it goes next time.

Halloween costume

Put Jonah in a costume today. Not his, but mine. Part of mine. Think it'll be appropriate for

Margot Tenenbaum


I'm not sure if the wigs appropriate

Sugar-free!

It's official. For about a week now, I've been sugar free. No cookies, cakes, candy, nothing. And it's really starting to kill! I'm so used to grabbing a handful of chocolate chips whenever I had a craving and I really miss baking the treats too! So I've been looking at different recipes and sugar free chocolate items. But I am allowed 2 treats a month and since this friday is the ward halloween party, I am choosing that day for treat day. To keep my sanity. It seems essential. So wish me luck! And if you have any yummy sugar-free treat recipes, let me know.

Bath time

He's finally able to sit up on his own in the bath and it's so different. You have to be a little more attentive and can't leave his sight for a minute, otherwise he might fall over!

This look is very sly


And this is what happens when you swallow too much water.
But that's my fault. Not very careful. Oops!

Tweet!

I'm now on twitter. Screenname: thriftygirl87. If you have an account, let me know. Because I want to follow you!

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

For our anniversary dinner, I made chicken enchilada's. Here's the recipe I used. It comes from the Campbell's Simply Delicious Recipes book. I got some just like it from someone in the ward the week Jonah was born, so that's what I was craving and looking for.

1 can (10-ish oz) Cream of Chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream
2tbsp butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tsp chili powder
2 cups diced cooked chicken
1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies
8 flour tortillas (7-inch)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese or mexican blend

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees
• Mix together soup and sour cream
• In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, melt butter, cook onion and chili powder until onion is tender. Stir in chicken, chilies, and 2 tbsp of the soup mixture. Remove from heat.
• To make enchiladas: Spread chicken mixture in flour tortillas, roll-up, and place seam side down in greased 12 x 8 inch pan.
  
• Spread remaining soup mixture over the top of the enchilada's. Cover with foil and bake 15 minutes. Sprinkle cheese over the top and bake another 5 minutes, until melted.

Derek and I have been buying the uncooked tortillas the last few times,
and they are so good with everything! And they were perfect for this recipe.

Before baking. The recipe said it would make 8, but I was only able to get 6 out of it. Also, with the soup mixture I would add more sour cream the next time around when I double it.

After with cheese melted on top

And served. So good!

• Other than the few changes I'd made, it was perfect! Enjoy!
  

Highchairs, and Ikea!

On the way to Derek's mission reunion in American Fork friday night, we stopped in Ikea. Got there around 4, ate in the restaurant (so yummy! They may have the best fries I've ever tasted) and somehow we ended up staying almost 3 hours! By the time we left it was almost 7. I say somehow we ended up staying, but any of you who've been to Ikea know how you can get lost in there. It was pretty fun though. I've never before been able to walk the entire place because of time restraints. We spent not too much money for all the stuff we got and I'm so glad! It's such a relief to have an organized home with things all having a place.

Oh, and freecycle is an amazing thing! We got Jonah a high chair! He was getting way too big for me to keep feeding him laying down on the floor.

Perfect, right?

I have 2 bottles full of buttons and a few years back my friend was able to make earrings out of some, so it's something I wanted to try. But all I have are the buttons and some thread, and I can't quite figure out how it's gonna work. How to weight it correctly and stuff. If anyone has any suggestions, let me know. If I can figure out how to do it, maybe I can make some on request!

And Happy Anniversary, Derek! Yes, it's been 2 years. Next friday is the celebration. Brand New concert and dinner at Tucano's!

I *heart* RS

So, last night the Relief Society put on an activity about beauty and fall fashion and I absolutely loved it! It makes me want to go out and shop and buy new clothes and beauty products and get my haircut. So I already made an appointment for a haircut and an eyebrow wax. And I need to buy a new hair dryer (mine burned out, didn't know about the filters and how to clean them. Whoops!), a brush, a bunch of layering tees, some spanx to suck in my (still) mom tummy. Oh man. No money and so many things I want to buy! I am in trouble.

And I'm also the crazy mom who is entering her baby in the Gapkids Casting Call contest. If my photo will ever upload!


Oh, and today is free cookie day at Mrs. Fields from 11 AM-1 PM. Free chocolate chip cookie in honor of cookie month!

Bread!

So I said I would do bread for the next recipe. Every week or so, depending on how often we need it, I make bread. I don't buy it at the store. I now have the time to make it at home, and it saves money. And it's super tasty.

The recipe I use is also my mother-in-laws, same as the cookies. It makes 4 loaves, but I only have 2 loaf pans, so I get 3 huge loaves!

Bread:
7 cups flour
2 Tbsp powdered milk
2/3 cup sugar
2 Tbsp salt
2 Tbsp yeast.

Mix



5 1/2 cups hot water
6 Tbsp oil
mix again









Add 6 more cups of flour, mix and then put dough into well-oiled bowl.







Let rise until doubled (about 45 mins.)








Punch down and let rise 40 mins.








(This may be gross, but I put a bit of oil on my hands every time I punch the dough down. Less of it gets on my hands.) Punch down, let rise 20 mins. Punch down, let rise 15 mins (this is when I turn on the oven-350 degrees). Place dough on clean surface, cut into 4 pieces and place in loaf pans. (Like I said I only do 3.) Place in oven and bake 30 mins. Take out of oven and place on wire baking sheet to cool, about 10 mins. Take out of pans and enjoy! (I keep one loaf out and put the other's in gallon sized bags and freeze them)


And then I make awesome grilled cheese!

Cookies!

As promised, I will be giving you a food post. I decided I wanted cookies today, so I made chocolate chip. Its a staple and we always eat them and about every person I know likes them. So here goes!

Chocolate Chip Cookies
(my mother-in-laws recipe with a few of my modifications)

2 cups butter (instead of shortening. Yuck!)
3 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
6 eggs

Mix

3 tsp baking soda
3tsp salt
3 tsp vanilla
6 cups flour
(I put 5 1/2 in and then add little by little to get the right consistency)

Add chocolate chips. There isn't a specific amount, so what I do is keep my chocolate chips in a quart size jar, for snacking whatever, and when I make this recipe I dump the whole thing in. Just the right amount, but if you like more, or less, do what you want.

This is a lot of cookies. Like I said, it's my mother -in-laws recipe, and she has 9 kids. But I just make the whole thing and then bake 2 dozen and then put the rest in 2 quart freezer bags and save them for later in the freezer, so when I have a craving I can just take the dough out and I don't have to make the recipe all over again. So, do what you want. You can half it, third it, whatever. It's easier with my Bosch mixer (which I love!) than when I used to do it by hand. You can make the larger recipe much easier.

Step 1: Butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and eggs mixed together.

Step 2: Mix in baking powder, salt, vanilla, flour and chocolate chips.

Step 3: Place on pan and bake at 375 for 10 mins.
(Remember to preheat the oven while mixing all the ingredients)

And the beautiful end resultSO GOOD!

Next time, I show you how to make bread. I don't buy store bought, I make my own.

A more productive day

I've been thinking about doing something fun and productive with my blog. I love to cook and bake and experiment so maybe when I do these I will post it on here with a recipe, some pictures, and maybe a video if you're really lucky. It'll give me something to do and maybe I'll get some more followers! So, look for those updates :)

Free movie!

They're showing UP! tomorrow night at WSU-Davis 9 PM. You should go! I'll be there

Giveaway!

My friend is going to have a giveaway once she hits 50 followers, so since I am so anxious I'm telling everyone to become a follower of her blog so we all have a better chance of winning. And no worries, she's awesome, so you should be following her blog anyway, right? Here's the link to her blog

Updated player!

I decided that after the post on the top 10 albums, I should add some of that music to my player on here. So, if you want to take a listen to some of my favorite music, it's all yours :). Not all the songs are off the favorite albums, because they didn't necessarily have them. But, still good, all the same.

Enjoy!

Simple days

Sometimes I think my life is boring. That maybe all I do is watch movies, do dishes, boring things like that.

But there's nothing wrong with that! I get to spend all day with my beautiful little boy, get a little time with Derek, make a delicious dinner and enjoy it with the 2 of them.

Point is, I love my life. I get to watch my boy develop and grow, although right now he's a bit sick with a hoarse voice and a sore throat. But he still gives me cute little laughs, like this:

Top 10

Derek and I were talking about our top 10 albums the other day. We agreed on a few. Here's them:

1. Jimmy Eat World- Clarity
2. Semisonic-Feeling Strangely Fine
3. Brand New- Deja Entendu
4. Death Cab for Cutie-Transatlanticism
5. Iron & Wine-Our Endless Numbered Days
6. Radiohead-In Rainbows

My favorites without him are:
7. Bjork-Post
8. Feist-Let It Die
9. Imogen Heap- Speak For Yourself
10. Sigur Ros-Takk

I'm not 100% about those last 4, but they're the albums I can think of that I know I hardly get sick of.

And for those of you who can't identify the albums by their names, I'll include pictures. YAY!