Our Year in Review 2011

It is always crazy to me on New Year's Eve to look back and recap what occured this past year. This year in particular is no exception! And for some reason, the years keep going quicker and quicker! Here is our year in review...

January & February

We spent preparing for Baby Grace to arrive! Momma got bigger, her room was finished, I had a couple wonderful baby showers and we waited...

32 weeks pregnant 3D ultrasound

38 weeks.

March

Happy Birthday, Baby Grace! March 4th at 8:17am our lives chnaged forever! Now we can't remember life without  her! Momma is especially thankful that we nearly broke the record for fastest first time labor/delivery at the hospital! You were certainly ready to make your grand appearance!

April

Family flew in to meet their very first grandchild/neice & Steve! We were so excited to have them and tour them around Seattle. Steve and I celebrated our 2nd Anniversary. Steve also started a new knife making hobby. He has made quite a few and sold most of them! Here is the most recent (December) custom made knife he has made.

May

My very first, super special Mother's Day!  We also Dedicated Grace that day! On a bummer note, Grace and I were in an accident this month too. Thankful she was completely unharmed! Momma also got a new car. :)

June, July& August

We had a really low key summer this year. We stayed home and just enjoyed Grace. Grace met her Great Grandparents from Montana. Momma turned 24 and Papa turned 27!

September & October

Grace met another Grandma. I was pretty much busy planning for the MOPS group at our church. I have been blessed with a wonderful group of women and met many new friends! Motherhood certainly would be much harder without them for support!

November

Steve went on his annual hunting trip to Montana with his buddy Scott and Grandpa. They had a blast and very successful vacation! Steve also went duck hunting here at home for the first time. He loved it. I then, had to learn how to cook duck and accoding to Steve, I was successful. He is quite the food provider!

December

Grace's first Christmas was a blast! She thought the presents were okay for a minute. She never once touched the tree (she was actually afraid to go near it!) And Momma and Papa got the greatest gift of all this year....

...yep! Big fun is coming our way August 2012 with Baby #2! Welcome to the party little one! We are so extremely blessed and thankful for all that we have. I pray 2012 is just as wonderful and exciting as this year!

Buffalo Chicken - Crockpot!

If you like spicy buffalo wings or franks buffalo wing sauce, this chicken is awesome and very versitile!

1. Frozen Chicken Breast (they said 3lbs, I just filled bottom of crockpot, we cant eat that much!)
2. 1 bottle of Franks Buffalo Sauce
3. 1 package Ranch Dip Mix
4. 2 Tbl butter


1) Put #1-3 on low 6-7hrs. (or less/more depending on how much chicken you use)
2) Using 2 forks, shred chicken and return to crockpot
3) Add butter and cook low 1 more hour.

You can serve this spicy chicken however but that night I made Buffalo Sandwiches.
Toasted Hoagie roll, chicken, pepperjack cheese and ranch.
(yep, not on my diet...oh well!)

I am hoping to try it on a homemade pizza sometime, that sounds good to me!

Loaded Potato Soup - Crockpot!

MMM this was good! I forgot to take a picture though...sorry!

You will need:
1. 6 Large peeled, cut potatoes.
2. 1/2 chopped onion
3. 1 Q chicken broth
4. 3 cloves mined garlic (read container of pre-minced garlic,I think its a couple tsp.)
5. 1/4 c. butter
6. 2 1/2 tsp salt
7. 1 tsp pepper (I used more)
8. 1c. half & half
9. 1c shredded cheddar cheese
10. 3T chives (or finely cut green onion)
11. 1c. sour cream (optional
12. 8 slices bacon pieces (I cheated and used the soft bacon bits)

1) Combine #1-7 in crockpot on high 4hrs or low 8hrs. (They added bacon at end, I added it here..more flavor)
2) Mash until potatoes are coarse and soup is slightly thickened (the more you mash the thicker it will get)
3) Stir in half and half, chives and cheese
4) Serve with sour cream (optional)

7 months

Here are a few pictures from her 7th month! (She will be 8 months in a few days and you know I will take new pictures!)

We are loving fall!

And look what she can do now! We are busy. All it took was one time and she hasnt stopped! I thought I had until at least Christmas before this started!

There are toys everywhere. Sounds of laughter and sqeels fill my home. I love being a mom!

Bacon-Ranch-Chicken....Crockpot!

I recently broke down and bought a new crockpot (I know, big slurge! lol) and have searched out some new Crock Pot recipes.

This recipe is credited to CrockPotGirls on Facebook. (Like them if you haven't already!) However I did make some changes and created my own variation.

You will need:
3 oz package bacon pieces (or cook your own for more flavor)
1 tsp minced garlic
1 pkg Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Powder
2 cans Cream of Chicken soup (Orginal recipe is 1 family size can, there is only a  few ounces different)
1-ish cups half & half (orginal is 1c sour cream)
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1) Combine first 5 ingredients in bowl to create creamy sauce.
2) Place thawed chicken in bottom of CrockPot
3) Pour sauce over chicken
4) Cook high 3.5 hrs. (Do not go over, it will dry it out!)

*The orginal recipe called for serving it over egg noodles. I am not a fan of egg noodles, so I made a Garlic Red Potato Mash instead and it was awesome together! Steve went back in for seconds, so I know it was a hit! I admit, not the most healthy or nutritious dinner,  but it sure was yummy!

Roasted Duck Recipe

Let me start off by saying I had no idea what I was doing! (Duck is not a normal dinner and a bit hard to research as well!) But I read what I could and took bits from different places to create my own way to roast this duck. My husband worked hard to get it and the last thing I wanted to do was ruin it!

* I demand that by the time it reaches the kitchen that it is clean and looks like a raw chicken. I do not play with feathers or body parts!

1) The duck was clean and dry. The roaster pan was ready (you dont want the duck sitting in the fat drippings so elevate it any way you can...a roaster pan ideally) I also privked it lightly all over, but for this duck I don't think it was really needed, although all websites insist on how fatty ducks are and this will help the fat drip off. This duck must have been skinny.

2) In a small bowl I made a dry rub. 1 or so tsp of each: Sea salt, pepper, garlic salt, Grill Mates Chicken Rub and just a dash of Paprika. Rub this all over the outside and what you can on the inside of the duck.

3) Roast for 1 hr on 375.

4)Melt 1/4c butter (yes, I made this the unhealthy way!) Pour over duck and return to oven for 45 min.

5) Repeat 1/4 c butter and return for 10-15 minutes.

6) Check temperature of the duck, it should be 165 degrees or higher.

*The skin turns out nice and crispy with lots of flavor! My husband was impressed and loved it! (I was impressed too!)

And the before picture. Opening Day of Duck Hunting.

So Berry Cute!

Nana Wendi sent me this!

The cutest strawberry I have ever seen. :o)

Our little diva is now crawling. Everywhere. Happy 7 months old too!

Grace Laughing at Papa

6 Months

I am super behind on my blog. I am busy! :)

Grace turned 6 months old on Septemeber 4th! As always, we take pictures and she is a ham!

She loves food! I make most of her baby food. Sweet potatoes, carrots, squash and all fruits are her favorite. She hates avacado and isnt too fond of sweet peas either (I dont blame her!) She is currently sooo close to crawling it is scary. She babbles all day long and loves our beagle.

1st Foods

We introduced Rice Cereal to Grace this week. She LOVES it! Her first bite she looked at us a bit weird, bu then opened up for more. Once she is adjusted to the cereal, we will add in a vegetable. yummm....

And Baby Makes Three

"A family is a little world created by love."

And how much I do love my little family!

First Trip to the Zoo

My dad couldn't help himself on my birthday this year...he bought me an annual zoo pass. So yesterday I used it for the first time. Grace, Grandpa and I had a blast at the zoo!

Grace looking at the sea lions swimming by. She did really well following the animals and watching them! I wasn't sure how a 4mo old would be interested, but she loved it!

Showing off the new hat and snow leopard she "had to have," said Grandpa.

Exhausted! Her favorites were the sea lions, puffin, camel and sharks. I can't wait to go back!

Steve the Knife Maker

Steve has been busy with his knife making! I am really impressed with the turnout of the knives, the designs he thinks up and the whole process.

They are for sale :)

He is making new ones all the time.

All knives come with custom made sheaths.

Here are just a few of the different types so far.

Knife below not available. In hands of a young birthday boy!

 The knife below is SOLD



Happy 4th of July!

Grace's first holiday that she didnt sleep right through. She was ultra patriotic in the adorable outfit she got from my family!

This makes me smile. She is usually such a photo-ham but she was just done here. It is a rare occurance for her to throw a major fit, so I had to document it. :)

* At her 4 mo checkup she was 12lbs.6oz and 25 3/4"!!
Thats the 91 percentile for babies in her age group for height! I think we have a basketball star in the making! :) Didnt take after momma at all!