Soup Weather

Well, with the return of cool weather, I thought I would post my 2 favorite soup recipes...

Potato Cheese Soup

5 c. potatoes (cubed)
3 t. salt
1/4 c. chopped onion

Cover in water (not too much water) and boil.
In another pan:
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. flour
stir
add:
1/2 t. pepper
1 t. powder mustard
1 t. Worcestershire sauce
4 c. milk
Stir till thickens...
add 2 c. cheese (we like sharp OR mozzarella)
Stir until cheese melts then add to potatoes (with water), stir and mash with a potato masher to desired consistency.

Easy Yummy Taco Soup

1 lb ground beef
1 med onion chopped
14.5 oz can stewed or diced tomatoes
14.5 oz can tomatoes & green chillies
15 1/4 oz can corn (including liquid)
15 1/4 oz can hominy (including liquid)
15.8 oz can Great Northern beans (including liquid)
16 oz. can pinto beans (including liquid)
1 lg. can chicken broth
1 1/4 oz. pkg. taco seasoning
1 oz pkg. dry Ranch dressing

Combine all ingredients in a large stockpot. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 min.
Garnish: cheddar cheese & tortilla chips

Obsessed!

Omigosh, can I just say I am FINALLY (after alllllll these years) obsessed with a Healthy food!!! (Don't pass out, mom!)

Yep, you read that right... Me. Shaila. Obsessed with something Healthy. It just goes to show that miracles still DO happen! (dad, you would be SO proud of me!)

When my new cute daughters were here about a month ago we were at Costco doing the routine shopping... The girls pointed to the edamame and asked if I liked it... uh, how did you say that again? Uh, well... no... (yuck, it looks healthy, where are the cookies??!!!) They both proceeded to tell me how good they were. So, trying to be a nice mother in law, I said, "Well, then, let's buy some". So I picked up the container and put it in our cart... not knowing what it would lead to! Yep, they were RIGHT!!! They are healthy AND delicious!!! (Is that possible??!!!) Holy cow, I eat them continually... snack, lunch, snack, dinner, snack... yummm!!! I just put a handful (a BIG handful) in a bowl and put the bowl in the microwave for 1 min. on high. (and NO, Brad, you do NOT eat the pod!!!) FYI, dad, they are a major source of protein, rich in isoflavones, calcium, iron, zinc and B vitamins! Yep, Healthy AND Delicious!!! I don't even add butter or salt!

Go Team!

Figgins is back!!! Angels are #1!!!

Go Lakers!

Lightening & THUNDER!

Holy cow this weather! Last Saturday it was °102 here (yuck) and today it is °55 (yuck) and POURING rain!!! We DO need the rain however. It was SO beautiful and green here 2 months ago but then everything turned brown and was dying (on the hills around us) so it IS a good thing...

Here are a couple of pics out the back... it is JUST pouring! Man, I wish you could see and hear the lightening and THUNDER!!! The windows are shaking!

Here is a pic out the front door...

Just as I finished taking this pic the boys came running from the greenbelt... Dallin, Ricky, and Mike... they had the boogie boards out and were "surfing"! I love the fact that my camera has a 10 zoom BUT it is sooooooooo slow to focus that I didn't get him in "action"! I got a pic of him "getting up" instead, dang it! I need a new camera!

The boys...

Ah, the little things in life...

Okay, so, I haven't planted a garden in oh.... about 12 yrs. I had one of my most spiritual moments when I was watering and weeding my garden about 12 yrs ago... AND, one time when I was visiting my brother and his wife (Dirk & Ellen) she made me a tomato sandwich, it was one of the BEST things I have EVER eaten!!! So, with those two wonderful experiences why, oh why, has it taken me so long to plant a few veggies??? Well, this is the year! I am so excited, I have 2 tomato plants in my back yard and 3 squash plants in my front flower bed (yes, Brad, in the FRONT FLOWER bed). AND one of my tomato plants (I planted it about a month earlier than the other one) has SIX (yep, six, count them!) tomatoes growing on it! I LOVE tomatoes but I have to say, the tomatoes that you buy in the grocery store are pretty dang tasteless, but out of a garden... oh baby! So, I cant wait until they are red - hummm... maybe I should try "fried green tomatoes"! Dang, I bet I didn't plant enough! Maybe I will go back tomorrow and get a couple more! Anyway, here are a couple of pics of my veggies I have planted!

Wedding planner...

If I were to have a job... I would LOVE to be a wedding planner! We have had 2 weddings in the last 9 months! Omigosh, Dev & Di, did you realize it has been that long??!!! (Congrats!)
Both receptions were very different and yet both so very, VERY much fun to plan!!! I thought I would try to do a slide show... and it worked!!! So, below you will see some of the decorating that we did for each! (Thank you to everyone who helped us - and there were many of you!!)
BTW, we are so blessed... Diana & Brittany are the BEST!!! I Love you both!

I would also like to thank Bobby & April Horspool for letting us use their back yard for Devin & Diana's reception and Dave & Mary Ellen for letting us use THEIR back yard for Derek & Brittany's reception, both were lovely yards!!! THANK YOU!!!

And, last but FAR from least I want to thank our cute Brieanne for taking all the great pictures! THANK YOU!!!

Check out my Slide Show!

Check out my Slide Show!

Wedding pictures!!!

We got our wedding pics in the mail this week!!! THANK YOU BRIEANNE!!! Everyone keeps asking for me to post them.... the problem is there are SO SO SO many cute ones, how do I choose... okay, I finally narrowed it down a bit... but it has been hard! There are SOOOOOOO many other good ones but I just can't post them ALL! I am going to start with this darling one of Chad... I am SO glad that Brie captured this, I didnt even see him sitting there waiting... Anyway, it is darling... Chad sitting on the steps waiting for his brother and new SISTER to come out of the temple...

Thank you everyone for coming!!!

We love you!

Prom

Saturday night was prom for Canyon Springs High School. 25 of our youth got together and rented a party bus to take them, it was at the Hyatt Hotel in Anaheim. The kids met over here with all the parents and we took pictures. They then loaded the party bus and headed to Downtown Disney. They walked around so the girls could show off their lovely dresses and got ice cream. Then they went to the prom, this year dinner was served there... and then dancing. When it was over they came home and had a big breakfast over at the Brambila's home. I made waffles and Alanna cooked bacon & sausage... we also had cut up fruit for them, yumm! Dallin bought new shoes (with his own money) that he just loved so I am posting a pic of them! They had a great time! The 1st pic is of Dallin and Ricky, 2nd one of Tanner, Dallin, Ricky and Mike (they are close friends from our ward), 3rd pic is of the 3 couples from the ward... Aimee & Ricky, Kaitlyn & Dallin, Brittany & Tanner, the 4th pic is Dallin & Farryn (thank you Farryn for getting the bus all lined up!) 5th Dallin & Aimee, the 6th pic is Dallin with his DATE, Kaitlyn, the 7th pic is their shoes! LOL the 8th pic is the group in front of the bus and then one of them ON the bus! What a good group of kids they are! THANK YOU!

This is probably WAY more info than you want... but Ann tagged me so I am going to play along...
Mother's Tag!
1. Typically what time do you wake up? I set my alarm to make sure Dallin is up and ready for seminary at 6:15, but Saturdays I sleep till Brad makes me get up, LOL... he is a morning person!
2. On a good night what time are your kids in bed? Week nights we try to have family prayer at 9:30 so Chad can get to bed… Dallin goes up at 10 pm
3. How long have you been a mom? Yikes! 25 yrs!
4. How old were you when you became a mom? Holy cow this is telling!!! …22
5. What is your favorite kid TV show/movie? Uh… I have NO idea
6. What is your least favorite kid TV show? Again… don’t watch them so??
7. What is your favorite chore? chore?? Are you kidding? I guess doing dishes… NOT bathrooms! LOL
8. What is your favorite meal to cook? Cook? Who wrote this? Uh… honestly I don’t mind cooking it is just trying to decide WHAT to cook!
9. What is the meal you cook most often? chicken
10. What is your kid’s favorite meal? Probably tacos!
11. What is your favorite thing your husband does with your kids? It makes them ALL happy when he takes them to play golf!
12. What are 5 things that make you smile when you're being a mom? 1) Playing games with my kids (usually cards!) 2) Watching my kids joke with each other 3) Sitting at the dinner table after eating and just chatting 4) Family prayer and scripture study 5) seeing them smile and be happy.
13. If you could take your kids anywhere where would it be? Hawaii
14. When was the last time you went out without your kids? Friday night, Brad had the younger boys at the Fathers/sons outing and I went out with girlfriends
15. What is your favorite past time/activity to do with your kids? Playing cards
16. Name 1 thing you said you'd never do as a mom. Yell at my kids
17. What is your favorite quality that your mom has? My mom is very loving… last time we were in Utah, she didn’t know I was there… my friends showed up at the door (with me hiding) and she was so friendly and welcomed them in! My friends all love my mom! (Oh, and I love that she can quilt!!! THANKS MOM!)
18. What is your advice for new moms? They grow up WAY too fast and leave home… LOVE them! Spend time with them… talk to them and LISTEN!!!
19. What is the scariest or most heartbreaking moment as a mom? Seeing a child hurt… whether it is physical or emotional…
20. What is your most joyful moment of being a mom? There are so many, seeing them live the gospel, having them say they love me, laughing together, seeing them truly happy… I have to say that just a few weeks ago when the most of us were in the temple together, THAT is hard to beat!!! …eternal joy!
21. When was the last time you were told 'I Love You' by one of your kids? Last night on our phone call… thank you children, I love you too… more than you can imagine!!!
I TAG....Allison, Brie, Karen, Pam, & Debby F.

Women's Conference

This year I was fortunate enough to get to go to Women's Conference at BYU. I went with Kathy & Ann, a couple of OLD friends, haha girls, thought you would like that! ...not that THEY are old, just that we have been friends for a long long time! Here is a pic of us just as we were pulling away... oh, the antisipation of a fun girls week!

One of the highlights of the trip (besides eating at Cafe Rio) was going to visit my mom & dad! We totally surprised them! My friend Pam also met us up there so the 3 of them walked up to the door of my mom & dad's house (I was hiding)... my mom answered the door and welcomed them in, THEN she saw me and started squealing! She is so fun! I am such a ding dong, I took my camera on the trip but never seemed to have it with me! So... no pic of my parents from the trip but here is a pic of them from Devin & Diana's wedding...

The Confernce was great! We got to hear from John Bytheway, his mother, Sherry Dew, Julie Beck and Pres. Monson!!! Here are a few of the notes that I took from his talk... Pres. Monson – Women’s Conference 2008
The sweetest experience in this life is feeling the promptings of the Spirit…
Don’t let the important things in life pass you by!
Find joy in today! NOW, today!
Every day in your life is a special occasion
Spend more time with your family
Call relatives
Ask forgiveness
Say I love you
Be happy!
(spend time with your family) Childhood doesn’t come back, if you miss out on something there will be sorrow.
Give your child a compliment.
Say I love you.
Give a hug.
Find joy in the journey.
One day each of us will run out of tomorrows.
He spoke of adversity, trials…
STORY of father watching his daughter in Kindergarten…
Playing, got hurt…
On more than one occasion, he almost went in to save her then he realized the scrapped knees and tears are needed to give her strength… and so it is with us.
Life was not meant to be easy we were not meant to have a consistently smooth road.
We came here to experience… it will make us stronger.
The stronger the winds, the stronger the trees.
Life makes us stronger, better, polished, beautiful.
He spoke of some of the attributes that we need to develop… kindness, sensitivity, compassion, love, forgiveness, patience, faith, fortitude, humility…
Only the master knows the depts of our trials and He alone can give us comfort.
He spoke on inadequacy, and told us to focus on the good that we HAVE done…
He concluded by saying… May the Lord bless you and give you peace… May you have a safe jouney on the pathway of life is my prayer for you..
When it was over he got up to leave, he walked to the tunnel in the Marriot Center and he turned and waved to everyone! Then everyone waved back, I think he was surprised, it was so cute so he waved again and everyone waved.. then he turned all the way around and waved to every spot in the Marriot Center and left... he is so cute, so sweet, and so in tune! The Spirit was so very strong, no one wanted to leave, everyone just sat there in silence and soaked up the Spirit for a bit... it was a very tender time. I KNOW he IS our prophet, that he leads and guides the Lord's church here on Earth! I am very grateful to have been there in his presence!

We stayed at the cabin and took a few pics the next morning before leaving...

It was a wonderful trip... Now, I want to go to Education Week in August!

Learning a little...

Okay, Allison, did you hear my music?! Thanks to you and Dallin I got that up and running!!! Brie, I don't know why some of my pics are cut off... from MY comp they arent... not sure if EVERYONE else is seeing them like you do or I do???!!! I have to run volunteer at the High School but when I get home I will see if I can get the collage thingy to work... Thank you Allison!

Mother's Day

I had the opportunity to go to Women's conference at BYU this past week. We left to go on Tues and the kids (Derek, Brittany, Devin, & Diana) all left on Thurs to go to Seattle to work for the summer. While I was gone the girls cleaned out my pantry as an early Mother's Day present!!! They are so good to me! I still go in there and just LOOK at it... it hasn't been this organized since the day we moved in! THANK YOU girls!!! You are the best!!!

Temple

I had the most wonderful experience on April 25th. I got to help take the young women to the temple to do baptisms and Brad took the young men. Since our older children were in town and we needed help with Priesthood we were able to take them to help too. Diana went in with the young women to do confirmations. Brittany and I helped the young women by the font while Derek did the baptizing. The coolest thing was getting to be there all together and watching Derek baptize Chad and Dallin!!! It was Chad's first time to go in the temple. It was such an awesome experience... what a pay day!!! Life is good!!!

Priest Trip

Brad is currently serving as Young Men's President and he took the Priests and Teachers to Conference. They stayed in the cabin and they were able to go to the Solemn Assembly on Saturday morning! They also went snowshoeing, they had a blast!