Thursday, November 24, 2011

Aisha's Chicken Bean Quesadilla Dip





Photo isn't the best but I seriously craved this after I had it. My friend Aisha made this for me when I had Evan. I had to get the recipe because I was craving it. She said she made it a lot on her mission because it was so easy to make.


Rotisserie chicken taken off and shredded or cook chicken in slow cooker with lime, cilantro and chicken broth for the day.


1 can black beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can refried beans
1 can red beans
1 can Mexican style stewed tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, diced
1/2-1 Tbsp. cumin
salt and pepper
lime, optional
sour cream, optional


In skillet cook onion and green pepper. Drain and rinse all the beans. Add beans, tomatoes, chicken and chicken broth to skillet. Season to taste with cumin, salt and pepper. Let simmer for 20 minutes.


This is a really hearty chili so I liked it more as a quesadilla dip. Use the uncooked tortillas for your quesadilla, I promise it will taste better. Add lime and sour cream to your chili and then use quesadillas to spoon in the yummy goodness to your mouth.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

iPhone Photos

Next month Tad will have had his iPhone for a year. I was downloading his photos for my photo a day album (which I love, you can check out Project Life here). Here are just some of my favorites found on Tad's phone.

Aviator Logan















Love this photo of Logan fighting Darth Vader in the Lego store at Disneyland. He carried around that pornographic balloon gun everywhere. Thank goodness it deflated overnight.














Brothers.























Logan and Nyxon on a double date this summer with Mom and Dad.




















Not sure if I love this photo so much because it has all my little guys in it or the fact that it doesn't have my multiple chins in it. Maybe Tad secretly has a skinny photo app on his phone.














This gorgeous shot in Moab from the Porcupine Rim trail. I'll never go on this trail so I'm glad Tad could share a view from it.












One of several trips to PCMR this summer.












Monday, November 21, 2011

Ward Christmas Party Decorations

Two years ago I did the ward Christmas party decorations. I went a little overboard but was so grateful that Brittany, her husband Jared, my husband Tad and several young women in the neighborhood help to put it all together.

We made Christmas trees from old hymn books. I could have never pulled this off if our ward wasn't getting rid of all the hymn books. I think we made 120 trees. The tutorial for the trees is here.
We used lots of popsicle sticks to make stars and mason jars filled with photos of ward members from past Christmases.







I saved the Christmas songs from the hymn books to make little Christmas songbooks. I think most of them ended up in the trash. Oh well.








We also made lots of lollies. These were so easy to make but when you are making 100s that's where it gets time consuming. We called the day we made the lollies - Lolliepalloza. We also had giant lollies on the wall.







The one thing I didn't take pictures of was the luminaries on the stage. To make it I saved cans. Then you put water in them and freeze them. When the water is frozen draw a design (upside down if you aren't using a candle) and use a hammer and nail to make the little holes. We placed the cans on top of a string of Christmas lights.

I thought it turned out pretty cute and everyone loved the little trees and took those home at the end of the night. In case you need some ideas for your party.




Friday, November 18, 2011

Neighbor Gifts - Canvas Bags

A couple years ago for my neighbors and co-workers I gave canvas bags. I was so excited for these because I'm all about getting rid of plastic bags and who doesn't need another canvas bags. I went to cheaptotes.com and you can get the bags for as low as $.89 right now. Then I just cut out fabric to make a custom bag for each person. Since the whole point of the present was to cut down on waste I just created a gift tag and tied them with some tulle.


Here are some of the designs I did. The yellow and red one says blurg since the Noices are huge 30 Rock fans.


What are some ideas you've done for neighbor/co-worker gifts? I struggle with this every year.


Thursday, November 17, 2011

Brek's Sangria Punch

This a super sugary (almost syrupy) drink that I should have shared this Summer but it's coming to you now.

1 tub Crystal Lite Raspberry Ice Flavor Drink Mix
1 qt. (4 cups) cold cranberry juice cocktail
1 cup cold orange juice
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
3 cups cold club soda
2 medium oranges, sliced
2 medium limes, sliced

Empty drink mix into large pitcher. Add cranberry juice cocktail, orange juice, and lime juice and stir until drink mix is dissolved. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Stir in club soda and fruit. Serve over ice in tall glasses.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Gardner Village



I love Gardner Village in the fall. They do the cutest decorations and I love their tower of pumpkins or whatever you call it. I think the witches are lame but it entertained my kid. We took Grandma with us so we could take some family photos. Tad had some time off the last week of my maternity leave so it was fun to have him around and get a few house projects done while we were both home.



























Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Happy Baby

We are having so much fun with this little guy. He is always so so happy. If he's awake he's smiling or laughing. He was 14 pounds at his 2 month appointment so he's a fat happy baby.











Monday, November 14, 2011

Preschool Field Trip

The day before I returned to work I got to go with Logan on his field trip. We went up to Black Island Farms. It was FREEZING cold and windy so I was glad Dad was home to stay with Evan. Logan goes to the same preschool that my friend Mindy's little boy goes to so it was fun to visit and hang out with Mindy for the day.

Mindy with her two little boys.




Besides playing in the giant box of corn I think the train ride was Logan's 2nd favorite thing to do.





Logan loved the slide and got Mom to go down it a time or two. I'm glad I was able to go on the field trip even if it was freezing. Logan's learning so much at preschool and I love when he tells us what he learned. They learned about veterans on Friday. I still don't think he knows what they are but he has requested that we get veterans to protect our house so the bad guys don't get in.






Sunday, November 13, 2011

Halloween

I know super late but have to put these up because it's not easy task to get Tad to dress up. Logan was a little Boba Fett for Halloween. I love this shot with him next to Darth Vader because he looks so tiny. My parents had a party on Halloween Eve so the whole family dressed up.