Corn Bread Recipe

I've always just thought of corn bread as being so-so until last year at our ward Halloween trunk or treat/chili cook off. A lady from our ward brought the most delicious corn bread ever (it was more like cake really) and I decided there must be good corn bread recipes out there after all. This one is just about the perfect balance of being corn bread while still being moist and a little sweet. It's exactly what I've been looking for. Enjoy!

Corn Bread

1 C. Butter or margarine (I used butter flavored crisco)

2 C. Sugar

4 Eggs

3 1/2 C. Flour

4 tsp Baking powder

1 tsp Salt

1/2 C. Cornmeal

3 C. Milk

Cream together butter, sugar, and eggs. Mix in dry ingredients, then add milk last. Pour into greased 9x13 pan or 3 loaf pans. Bake @ 350* for 45-55 minutes.

As a side note the batter is runny so don't be alarmed. Also I made this at my high altitude with no adjustments and cooked it for 50 minutes and it was perfect. Just FYI. 

I probably should have taken a picture before I cut into it but I just couldn't wait. :)

Pictures (6 months over due)

I've been meaning to take pictures of the girls for quite some time so these are long over due. It's been a year and a half since the last time I had their pictures taken. I really want to improve my photography and the best way to do that is by taking them myself. Easier sais than done however. It took two days. One day of setting up and testing the lighting, then another day to actually take the pictures. I would do it more often but the subjects of my pictures are quite unwilling. Makes it difficult. But anyway, here they are. I posted some on Facebook but not all.  Please tell me your favorites of each girl to help me decide which ones to put on the wall. 

Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken

I forgot how much I like sharing recipes until recently a friend told me that she missed the recipes I used to post. She said that she would often come to my blog to look for new recipes to try. I don't tend to be very adventurous when it comes to cooking because I am, I admit, a picky eater.  It's been so long since I've posted any I'm sure I'll have plenty to share. The one for today is a recent addition to my go-to recipes. It's easy and delicious. I found it on Pinterest a while back and just recently tried it. I've already made it twice. Throw it over some rice and add some stir fry vegetables and you've got yourself a good meal.

Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken

1 lb chicken breasts
1 C. chicken broth
1/2  C soy sauce or teriyaki sauce (I do half and half....don't know why)
1/3 C. brown sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced

Put chicken in crock pot. Mix all other ingredients and pour over chicken. Cook on low 4-5 hours or high for 3 hours.

Garnish with sesame seeds and/or stir fry veggies. Serve over rice.

Hope you like it!

Jenn

Our first ever school wide Snow Day

At 4:38 am this morning we got a phone call from Ava's school saying that school would be cancelled for the day due to the inclement weather! I wasn't planning to risk driving her to school anyway but it was nice to know she wouldn't have to miss a day. When we got up this morning we had about a foot of snow. We are now (6 hours later) up to about 15" or so. 

The girls wasted no time getting on their snow gear this morning and we were outside by 8:30 am. 

By the way I am also attempting to blog from my iPad for the first time so I'm not sure if I'm doing all this right or not. I guess I'm about to find out. 

Camping On The Clinetop

It has been a very long time since we have gone camping! The last time we went Sadie was just barely more than one and we were still enjoying our yearly camping trip with the Morgan family. (Which we fully expect to resume once they return to the U.S.) 

Chris had this spot picked out for us after he came here on a camp out with his YM and after we got there I knew why. It was so beautiful! We did not see another person camping the whole time we were there. It was quiet and peaceful and the perfect spot for our little family.

 Grace did pretty well for her fist time camping, although I did have to put her to sleep in the care first then transfer her to the tent b/c she was having a hard time going to sleep. But she had loads of fun playing in the dirt!

 Our first night there we just took a little hike close to our camp site to look around and explore. The scenery was amazing and I couldn't stop taking pictures!

The wildflowers were everywhere!

The next morning we decided to try the hike down to the creek. While Chris claims it is only a mile it is still a very tricky hike because it is really steep at the end right before you get to the creek. 

 The girls did so great. Ava and Sadie hiked the whole way down and up on their own and didn't even complain. 

The reward was getting down to this gorgeous creek. It was too cold to swim in but we still had fun playing around and just being together. 

 Proof I was actually there!! The only picture I'm in!

 I kept the food pretty simple b/c the cooking is the one thing about camping I don't enjoy. So we had bagels for breakfast. Grace didn't mind. (look at those pretty eyes!)

 Chris built a sort of hammock out of some logs and a tarp. He planned to sleep on it but it looked like rain both nights so he opted to stay in the tent. 

 There were also a ton of berry bushes next to our camp site and Ava loved picking them. You can see her in the background getting ready to put some in a bowl. Grace benefited the most from Ava's hard work. She loved them! 

My three little munchkins!

 Camping season is about over now. Hunting season has started which means the mountains are busy so I'm glad we got to go before the summer was over. 

First Day of Kindergarten

Freaking out? Who's freaking out?! It's definitely not Ava! She is so excited to be starting school this year and was so brave when I dropped her off this morning. In fact, when I said "okay I'm leaving now" she didn't even look up when she abruptly said "bye!" I had to ask her for a hug and kiss and when that was over she went right back to what she was doing. I'm guessing that 90% of the time the kids are braver than their parents!

When we left the house this morning we found that Chris had left Ava a special note! Such a sweet dad!

 I wanted to take a picture of Ava next to the school sign but I couldn't find it so we settled for taking a picture from a distance so I could see the school name. 

 We are so lucky to have 4 other kids from church who will be in the same class (only 3 pictured here). Hopefully they can all stick together and help each other out. 

 All of the kids go outside when their parents drop them off and then when the bell rings they get in line with their teacher and they all go to the class together. I've never heard of this and it seems strange to me. I would much rather she go straight to class when I drop her off. 

 THESE TWO! I am so happy that they are in the same class. I know they will stick together like glue! 

 Friends and cousins! Couldn't be any better!

It's 11:15 now and lunch time for Ava is 11:35. Chris and Sadie are at our property by the river this morning and he said they would try to go meet Ava for lunch (apparently parents can come for lunch any day they want!)  I hope he makes it. That would be such a fun surprise for her first day!

Kindergarten here we come!

"Jiminy Cricket"

A few years ago my MIL bought this child size four wheeler for the grand kids.I don't know why but we call it Jiminy Cricket. It's been sitting in a shop for probably two years now and Chris finally got it out to see if Ava was ready. She's not. At least not outside of our yard and driveway. Sadie tried once too but she was too freaked out by how fast it went and wouldn't get back on. Ava, always fearless, was more than happy to give it a try. 

 Yes, we ride 4 wheelers in dresses!

I'm hoping this might be motivation for some cousins to come visit! (hint hint)