Happy 29th Birthday Momma!!

Hey Birthday girl! Hope you have a SUPER birthday! Miss and love you lots!! -manda

Headbands

My student teaching friend Lauren and I have been constantly eyeing all those cute hair accessories highschool girls always wear. I especially love those cute flower headbands so I ventured out to walmart today with Mimi and found all the stuff to make them. Here are just a few. Lauren- what do ya think?!!

Recent Happenings!!

Here's our not so little niece sadie. I tried to catch a pic of her practically standing up but she was too busy going through my wallet... she is into everything these days. man she is so cute, isn't she?!!! don't mean to brag, but I sure love all my cute neices and nephews. :)Ben's current fixation. FISHING.. he's been 3 times already this month. We have fun driving around lookin for new exciting spots to hopefully get a bite! I am his #1 fan and went with him on monday, even in the snow!

Late in posting. Here's a pic from Cami's baby shower, with the ladies running the show (Miriam & Amanda), and Cami-the main event. :)

Hmm... Looks like I cooked something sticky.. I wonder how these strange things happen in my spick n span kitchen.

Sorry I haven't been blogging consistently. Hope you blogger friends are all doing well this fine friday! and thanks for posting so often.. thats basically the only reason I started this thing.. Happy Weekend!

New Year, New and LAST Semester. For me at least!

Hey Everyone. I knows it been a long while since I last posted but heres a quick update for us. So we both started back to school on Jan. 4th. I started student teaching at Pleasant Grove High last week and it is super fun! I sure love the highschool students I have been working with. They crack me up. I get the chance to teach Geometry and Algebra II (Honors and Reg) and its been going pretty well so far.
For Ben. He's back to school and likes all his new business classes. His Book of Mormon teacher just got replaced and he's a little sad about having to now write six papers for that class. But he's a big boy, he can handle it!

Besides that we sure are excited for a 3 day weekend and for my little sis Marcia to come visit from BYU-I too!!

Happy Weekend!

HaPPy 12.12.09!!
It's been a long time coming but I just found out where I'm student teaching this winter finally. Pleasant Grove Highschool! :) WOoT woot. Just 20 min. away!

DECEMBER

mittens..cookie exchanges.. giving gifts.. celebrating Christ's birth..family..SNOW..Music.. christmas lights..iceskating.. decorating the tree..fires in the fireplace.. stockings..St. Nick comes to our house this Sunday!..cherry noses and faces.. snowball fights..snuggling under blankets and watching movies... mistletoe..party..being together with those you love..

We are going home to Wisconsin this year for our first Christmas!! Oh how I wish Christmas was here.. Hope you all have a HAPPY low stress December!

Easy Pumpkin Pie Squares

These are super yummy. When Mir and I went to Cami's for thanksgiving one year Cami made these and I snagged the recipe from her. They are easy and delish. I hear people who don't like pumpkin pie love these too. Happy Thanksgiving ALL!!!

Ingredients:
Crust:
1 package yellow or spice cake mix (set aside one cup of the dry mix before proceeding)
1/2 cup melted butter or margarine
1 egg

Filling:
1 can (29 ounces) pumpkin
2 eggs
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground (dried) ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup brown sugar

Topping:
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1/3 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Instructions: 1. Grease and flour a 8X11(I use a 9x13) inch baking pan.

2. Preheat oven to 350°.

3. Disregard instructions on cake mix box, you're not going to bake a cake. Mix dry cake mix (minus 1 cup dry mix) and melted butter. Add egg and mix till it holds together (different cake mixes react differently, so you may need to add a small amount of milk 1/2 tsp. at a time, if necessary to hold mixture together).

4. Pat crust mixture into pan with your fingers, coating bottom and up the sides about 1 inch.

5. Mix together the filling ingredients, along with the reserved 1 cup of dry cake mix, and pour into the crust.

6. Mix the topping ingredients (minus the optional nuts) together with a fork or pastry blender till mixture is crumbly. Mix in nuts, if desired.

7. Sprinkle topping mixture over filling and bake for 45-60 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

8. Cool and serve with whipped cream or icecream.