Two Favorites

1. Chocolate Muffins -EASY & AMAZING
Mix:
*1 chocolate cake mix
*1 can pumpkin (fiber)
*Chocolate Chips (or peanut butter chips)


Mix together. bake in a 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes. 
Thanks Michelle!!


2.  my boys

Minihaha falls   

church bound

keeping our little man happy

Healthy Recipes & 4 months old pic

White Chili - from thecoterieblog.com



Note: I halved the recipe because there's only two of us, and there was plenty to go around.

1-2 Tbs. olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
1 - 4 oz can chopped green chilies
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp. cumin
1 1/2 tsp. oregano
4 chicken breats, cooked and shredded (I like to season the chicken with salt & pepper before I add it)
5 cups chicken broth
3 - 16 oz cans of white beans, undrained

Directions:
Saute onions, green chilies and garlic in olive oil and add spices. Combine beans, broth, and chicken with onion mixture.  Heat to desired temperature.

Easy Crock Pot White Chicken Chili 


* 1 McCormick white chicken chili packet
Package directions:

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 lb chicken breast
• 1 cup water
• 1 can (15 oz) white beans, undrained

* I add any of these if on hand:

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 more can white beans, undrained (more fiber)
• 1/2 cup barley (more fiber)
• a can diced tomatoes
• Frozen corn

Directions: Stick in Crock Pot on high for 4 hours, or low for 6 hours. Take out Chicken and shred it. Add chicken back in. Serve with avacado on top. (optional)

Crock Pot Fajitas 
Moist and Yummy - They are not dry like fajitas you cook in a skillet.

• 1 lb chicken breast
• 1-2 bell peppers cut up
• 1 sliced onion
• 1 fajita seasoning package
• 1 cup water

Directions: Stick in Crock Pot on high for 4 hours, or low for 6 hours. Take out Chicken and shred it. Add chicken back in. Serve on warm tortillas with fixings of your choice (lettuce cheese tomato beans etc).

Things to try that sound yummy if your trying to eat extra healthy

• add wheat flour to any recipe - if grinding your own I recommend hard white wheat
• just substitute half of the white flour for wheat flour

• Smoothies - from Oprah
• add frozen banana , strawberries, fat free yogurt, 1 tsp honey , and milk

• green smoothies
• fruit, chocolate(use ovaltine), or even peanut butter
• you can do this even without a blendtech or vitamix - just take water and spinach and blend those up first before adding other things so spinach isn't chunky

                                                          I'm 4 months old!

Catch of the Day!

Day 1 - No beginners luck...
Day 2 - 1 northern pike (18''), 1 catfish, 1 walleye (16 1/2'') and 15 perch
Day 3 - 1 northern pike, 1 bluegill, and 6 perch

For Easton's first 4th of July weekend we went on our first family vacation to Dora Lake, about 2 hours south of Canada. We had a great time getting away!

Things we did: 
1. played cards, horseshoes, and bean bag toss
2. ate otter pops
3. relaxed and slept
4. fished, fished, and fished some more  :)

Here are some pics of all the fun we had:

                                    Happy 4th!

just relaxing on the porch

big catch - so excited to finally catch walleye. what we came to catch!

Minnesota

We miss our family and friends in Utah but we sure are having fun here!!

 What's Up Guys?

 I love waking up to this guy... :)

 6/30 Como Zoo

 6/30 Como Zoo

6/23 Minnesota Sculpture Garden - Spoonbridge and Cherry

Chicken Soup for my Soul ... Everyday

The couple we are subletting from this summer has this quote on their fridge. It's my new favorite.
  
ATTITUDE


The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts.. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church...a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable.  The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our attitudes.

 - Charles Swindoll

Soaking up the summer!

Here are a couple of updates:
1. Easton

    - turned 3 months old saturday
    - discovered his hands and sucks on them all the time
    - grabs his toys and holds onto them
    - smiles and giggles lots
    - got is first boo boo w/ blood today... no fun

2. Our Family

    - Ben started his internship and his first big client is USPS
    - On the way to Minnesota we stopped to see:  Martins Cove, Mount Rushmore, and Crazy Horse
    - We moved into our first 2 level home. We are subletting a condo this summer. So much space,     almost to much to know what to do with. :)
    -Easton and I went to wisconsin/chicago for a week  seeing papa russ, grandma cindy, aunties, and cousins.

                                            Mount Rushmore 6/4

Martins Cove 6/4

                                               6/5 Bathroom Stop

                              6/16 Eastons 3 months! Eating Crepes @ the Mall of America

Happy 1st Father's day Ben! You truly are an amazing dad, and are Easton's best bud. Thanks for everything!!!! This wasn't the only picture we got, just my favorite.

                                                         Easton Reading books

                             We Tie Dyed blankets with our Cousins and Aunt Michelle

I love my bunny Grandma Kristen! Miss you!

                                             Lauren - you make me smile :)

2 Months!

EASTON'S ADVENTURES

 1. Going to all of daddy's softball games: watching dad play catcher and 1st base with mom

 2. playing in the tub

 3. sitting in my bumbo - Easton just tried this for the first time this weekend and he can't get enough of it.

 4. smiling at my dads jokes

 5. just relaxing in the bathroom while mom gets a shower

 6. getting woken up to get his 2 month picture before midnight.. horrible i know. we couldn't help ourselves.

7. Going to the doctor. This was taken in the dr. office right before Easton got his shots. Such a happy boy!!! those shots hurt - we missed these smiles for a while...

8. Fishing for fhe: we caught 5 white bass and cooked them up for a late night snack.