Friday, November 28, 2008

Happy Turkey Day

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. We spent ours in Kanab, Utah with Adam's family. I was asked to bring a few of my family favorite recipes and thought I would share them with you. Any of these recipes would work for Christmas as well! Hope you all had a great day!

Cranberry Salad
Maria Blanchard

1 pkg of Fresh Cranberries (chopped or ground)
1 cup Sugar
3/4 pkg. Large Marshmellows cut into 1/4th (do not use the mini marshmallows)
1 large can of crushed pineapple drained well

1 pint cool whip
The night before, mix first four ingredients and refrigerate. In the AM, mix in the Cool Whip.

Sweet Potatoe Soufflé
Suzanne Dudley

6 cups of Yams (Bake 2 hours at 350. Scoop out of skins, mash really good)
1 cup Sugar
1 tsp. Salt
2/3 cup Melted Butter
4 Eggs
1 can Evaporated milk
2 tsp. Vanilla

Combine ingredients in mixing bowl and mix 3-4 minutes until smooth. Pour in 9 x 13 Pan

Topping
1 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Flour
1 cup chopped Pecans
1/2 cup melted Butter
1/3 cup Cocoanut

Combine in bowl and sprinkle mixture over the top of Sweet Potatoes
Bake 30 minutes at 350

Stuffing for Turkey
Suzanne Dudley
(Sorry, I forgot to get a picture of just the stuffing!)
2 loafs of cheap wonder bread
3 sticks of celery chopped
1 onion chopped
Salt
Pepper
Sage
about 3 cubes melted butter
1 can chicken broth

This recipe is one that you taste as you go. Put the bread in a big bowl the night before. Let it get stale. The next morning break it up like you would when you feed the ducks. Then add the chopped celery and onions. Add salt and pepper and sage to taste. Add melted butter as needed. You don't want it to be dry, but you don't want it to be soggy either. At this point you would put it inside the turkey. I personally don't love the taste of the stuffing inside the turkey so I leave a little out so that I can just cook it in the oven. If you want to cook it in the oven, add some chicken broth to left over mixture to moisten, (be sure not to let it look soggy) and put it in a baking dish. Cook for about 45 minutes covered at 350 degrees.

Banana Creme Pie
Crust: Suzanne Dudley
Filling: Lion House cookbook

Crust (Makes two)
1 1/2 cups Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Shortening
6 TBSP COLD water

Combine flour, salt, shortening with a paster cutter.
Add, one at a time, tablespoons of cold water. Mix and divide dough in half
Roll out into circle, place in pie pan and flute the edges.

Filling
3 egg yolks beaten
1 cup Sugar
2 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup Half and Half
1/4 tsp salt

Mix together on Medium high heat, stirring constantly. When steaming and right on the verge of boiling, add:

5 TBSP Cornstarch mixed with a little water
Stir until Thickened.

Add 2 TBSP Butter
1 tsp vanilla

mix and let cool completely.

Cut 2-3 banana's into pie shell and add cooled filling over the top. Serve with real whipping cream!

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Leaving Again!

I swear I just got home, and now we are leaving again. This time it is only 1 hour away to Kanab for Thanksgiving! There is lots of food to cook, and family to enjoy! I will be sure to post a few recipes ... don't worry.

In the mean time ... here is page eight of my album before I go!

These pictures are of my semester abroad with BYU right after I graduated from High School. It is in Jerusalem that I studied deeply the bible and grew to know my Savior in a way I cannot describe. It was a highlight of my life!

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

GO BYU!


We have a true blue, through and through Cougar on our hands. Too bad BYU lost this past weekend ... but regardless ... this picture was just too cute to post! We'll just call it our future football player!

Sunday, November 23, 2008

COLDPLAY IN SLC


Thats right folks! It changed my life. 6 hours to Salt Lake City this past weekend just to see Coldplay in concert! It was amazing! it made me get goose bumps for two hours solid! It was the most amazing thing I have ever seen! Thanks Coldplay for being the most amazing band ever!
XOXO
Mandy

Friday, November 21, 2008

Here we go!

Leaving for Provo today ... Seeing COLDPLAY tomorrow ... Can't wait!

But before I leave, here is page seven from my album ... Just a few more to go for the completed album! YIPPEE!

This page is about being a mother. I hope that I can teach my children in a way that they will love the Savior and have testimonies of their own.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

NEW BOOKS!

I wanted to share with everyone two new books coming out in the next few weeks by Lain Ehmann and Amanda Probst!

First is Lain Ehmann's new Book Snipits!

It is a book for the lighter side of scrapbooking. I haven't gotten my hands on it yet, but there is a release party online going on today until the 30th so click HERE to check it out! I would suggest you check back on my blog because as soon as I get my hands on a few copies of this book, I might have to hold a drawing to send one of you lucky readers a copy! Click HERE to see how to preorder it! Shipping after Thanksgiving!

Next is Amanda Probst's new book Month by Month Scrapbooking!

Since this new year is coming, maybe this would be a good one for all of us to read! It is available on Dec. 1st! Be sure to click HERE for more information, and HERE for how to preorder the book! I might just have to do a drawing for this book too!

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

CKC Catch up

Just when I think I will have all the time in the world to come home and enjoy a little "R&R", 1000 get piled on my plate! I guess that is life isn't it!

CKC - Seattle was loads of fun. I got to meet so many wonderful and awe inspiring women. I arrived Thursday mid day, and after checking in at the convention, headed to Sammamish where my brother-in-law, sister-in-law, and five kiddo's live. Adam and I traveled to Seattle for the first time in May and loved every minute of it. I think I have something going with the weather because each time I have been it has been GORGEOUS weather! There was this little Mongolian Grill I remembered eating at and decided to get lunch their again. GREAT IDEA might I include!

I taught one class on Thursday night, 6 classes on Friday, and 5 classes on Saturday. I was EXHAUSTED on Saturday night to say the least, but it was a good exhaustion. Maybe instead of boring you with paragraph after paragraph, I will just highlight some of my favorite things about the weekend!

* My sister-in-law joining me the entire day Thursday. We don't get to hang out much these days since we live so far away, and I forgot how much I missed girl time. We just never find it hard to have conversation!
* Sara and I ate at Cheesecake Factory for lunch. If you haven't ever eaten there, I suggest you eat the VANILLA BEAN cheesecake for dessert. It will change your life. (Speaking of, I forgot I had the remaining half of mine in the fridge and didn't even finish it! Enjoy Sara!)
* I met up with Stacy, Wendy, & Paula. These are the most amazing women in the world. If only they knew how much they have inspired me.
* I went to the Bellevue Square mall ... and got to go to The Apple store, Nordstrom (Thank you MAC makeup!) Pottery Barn, Williams Sonoma, Threads (PB new kids clothing store) and PB Kids. Oh do I miss malls!
* Emily Haskell who really is THE WOMAN when it comes to CK and all the organizing of teaching at CK. I found out that she knows my brother & sister-in-law. What a small world eh? Thanks again for everything Emily.
* Hanging out with my Bro-in-Law Sean, talking "design", and those darling 5 kids. Man do I miss their family.

Some things that I wish I could change about the weekend:

* Bryson started crawling while I was gone ... not all bad, other than I really now understand what baby proof is all about, but I was so sad that it was WHILE I WAS GONE!
* I bought a new battery for my lap top, even brought in my lap top to make sure it would match, and they gave me the wrong one. Too bad I left at 11:00 am the next day and couldn't exchange it! Thank you SLC for having an Apple store so I can exchange it when I am up there this next weekend!

Anyway, Thanks so all of my wonderful students who shared many stories with me, and again to Sean and Sara for letting me crash at their house. It was so much fun!

I was so relieved to fly into Page and see my two boys. It was 8:30 pm and Adam tried to get Bryson to crawl for me. He was so tired, that he crawled two steps and burst into tears. When I picked him up he laid his head on my shoulder. OH this boy has his mommy's heart! It was soooo good to be home!

Friday, November 14, 2008

Posting from Seattle!

Coming SOON!!!! I am at CKC Seattle and can't wait to post pictures REALLY soon. Check back in a few days to see what I have been doing here!
HUGS
Mandy

Thursday, November 13, 2008

YW in Excellence

Yesterday was a REALLY busy day. Each year we do a special program called YW in excellence. It is a time to show what the girls have been doing in their Personal Progress Program. Our theme was HE STRENGTHENS ME. We had two speakers talk about how the savior has strengthened them in their lives, and through the Young Women program in the church they were strengthened. We also had the Young Women sing an incredible song. We decided to make these blocks for each girl to take as a remembrance of the night:

(I used my sillouette machine to cut the vinyl then rubbed the Vinyl on a black painted block. They say "He Strengthens Me").
It was also the night to show off all the projects they had been working on through out the year and also to show the completed 10 scriptures that define me albums that we have been working on. I was so proud of my girls! They are SO amazing!

Here is a picture of their completed albums:

Here is Page six of my album ... don't worry ... I didn't forget!

I chose the scripture that tells how we should become like little children. I am just amazed by the things I learn from my little Bryson, and I am sure I only have more wonderful things to learn.

It was an incredible night, and I am glad I got to share it with you!

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

VOTING!

What an important day ... Adam left for work at 6:20 am and went to vote first thing. He came home and stayed with Bryson while I ran in my PJ's to go and vote. That way I could go without Bryson and miss all the crowds. IT WORKED! I walked right in and voted! I can't wait to see the results!

I voted ... Did you?

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Days to remember

Today is one of those days that you look back on and wish you could freeze forever. Bryson and I love Saturday's because it means we get to spend the whole day with Daddy! Today we dressed Bryson like daddy, with a hat and jeans! It looks like Bryson had so much fun with "DAD" that he couldn't stay awake. He fell asleep in the car, which RARELY happens.

These are the moments, the days you want to freeze in time and remember forever.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Squeaky shoes!


Have you ever heard of Squeaky shoes for kids? This friend of mine has a daughter who has some and they are the coolest things ever. Their name describes them all. When her toddler walks, the shoes squeak. Not only do they encourage the child to walk, but it is really easy to find them when they wander off! I can't wait to buy these for Bryson. I will just wait a little longer until he is ready to start walking! Here is the website where I found these particular shoes ... there are TONS of websites that carry them though!
http://www.addyscloset.com/servlet/the-1127/Wee-Squeak-Boys-Moche/Detail

Monday, November 3, 2008

Family ... It's my number one

I know it is page five ... but one thing you need to know ... is that my album isn't necessarily in order of importance. It is in whatever order I found the scriptures that define me.

Page five is about my little family. I want to be with them forever!