To the Beach!!

Since we are so far away from our family this year, we got to go to Florida for Thanksgiving, and visit Joel's Aunt Barbara and Uncle Herb and cute little Grandma....

All along the way it was pretty drizzly
which made the drive kind of cozy......
About half way there somewhere in the middle of Mississippi, Joel wanted to get out to stretch for a bit, so we pulled over into a parking lot and saw this store, and decided to check it out....... And this is what we found....I had never seen anything quite like it!! Things were piled and thrown EVERYWHERE!! Everyone was trying to push their "buggy"(as they say here in the south...) through this mess, one lady had a wig tangled up under her front wheels...things were jumping off the shelves as you walked by.....we somehow actually ended up buying 2 "great deals" and got back on the road.... By the time we got to Gulf Breeze it was pitch black, we met his aunt and uncle, had some yummy pot roast for dinner and went to bed. The next morning we were super excited to get out and sight see. We spent Thanksgiving morning at the beach..... All the soft white sand looked like snow drifts along the roads.....
We drove around and looked at all the neat beach houses..... We saw a Florida national forest "camping ground", not quite sure what happened to all the trees?? We stopped and walked around an old fort where Geronimo was captured for awhile.... We went to the beach again.....We saw a Jellyish......We saw a little tree frog...... Then we went back home to a beautiful Thanksgiving dinner...... and I got to meet Joel's grandma....she was so cute. She told us several times how much she loved having Barbara read biographies to her and that her favorite one was of Elenore Roosevelt.....she tried to give me a pair of warm winter boots she thought she may have an extra pair of laying around somewhere, but my feet were too little.....after a moment of silence she randomly asked loudly during dinner if I'd ever milked cows :) I actually have milked one before and she was quite impressed.....she loved my long hair.....she loved how tall Joel had gotten....we heard several times how wonderful aunt Barbara was to her everyday and how much she wished Joel's dad could be there....
Little did she know....he flew in late Thanksgiving night to surprise her the next day...
She was beyond excited to see him....she laughed and cried and gave him hug after hug....they talked and laughed and remembered the good ol days..... We went to the Pensacola Air Museum..... If you let your husband have the camera, you end up with several pictures like these..... :) We went out for dinner and had the most AMAZING Key Lime Pie for dessert......We went to the beach......AGAIN!
We saw a little crab, who was not alive.....
And then.....came the little sting rays!! They were so cool! They swam right up to the shore!

We got to visit with grandma some more in the Gazebo...
We went to a great little Irish pub for dinner....the food was DELICIOUS!!

And their ENTIRE ceiling throughout the WHOLE restaurant and down every hallway is covered in $1.....there are over a million of them!! So we added one of our own......
We got to go to church and hear Uncle Herb's sermon...he is a retired preacher of 30 years...but luckily the very Sunday we were there he was filling in for someone who was out of town, so we got to see him!
Then it seemed almost as soon as it had begun it was all over....and sadly it was time to say goodbye.....
Barbara packed us some treats for the ride home....we hugged and said our goodbyes, and we were off....
We got stuck in horrible traffic because of some road work....it was pretty much stand still for an hour!
So we just made the best of it.....we watched the last half of The Little Mermaid(without sound) from the DVD player in the car ahead of us.....sang Christmas songs....and took lots and lots of pictures of the clouds and beautiful sunset....
We had a great time.....we really needed it! We are sad its already come and gone...but we will just look forward to next time!

B-E-A-Utiful autumn Sunday Drive.............

I had an amazing childhood. I've been thinking about it a lot lately...its a hard reality knowing I can never have it back...but I am very thankful for all the memories I still hold on to. I decided I'd make a list of some of them.....before I get too old and more of them fade away.....

• climbing trees
• our ten acre field
  
• bucking hay
• hay forts
  
• catching tadpoles
• making mud pies
• bare feet
• hearing moms whistle from a mile away
• going shooting
• riding horses
• floating the river
• rope swings
• becoming a big sister 3 times
• dads childhood and mission stories, which I made him tell over and over again
• the thicket
• 18 hour drives to Arizona, laying on a piece of plywood in the truck camper, coloring, sleeping, fighting with Michael and eating doughnut holes all the way there
  
• riding bikes for hours
• all of us standing around the island in the kitchen eating artichokes dipped in butter
  
• swimming in the canal
• being able to eat and eat and eat moms homemade waffles and maple syrup
  
• our huge beautiful garden
• big juicy tomatoes
• fruit trees
• long talks with dad about anything and everything
  
• playing in the shed
• finding an arrow head
• creamer and sammy, and all creamer's puppies
  
• mom rocking me in the rocking chair with the still to this day comforting patpat......patpat......patpat....on my back
  
• our swing set
• doing cart wheels and hula hooping around and around the yard
  
• watching the sunset
• fresh cut hay fields
• moms chocolate chip cookies, fresh from the oven
  
• looking at the stars with my own personal astronomer :)
• sidewalk chalk
• throwing a ball back and forth over the house
• playing catch with grandpa, getting smacked in the chin with the ball, and getting scolded for not putting my mitt in front of my face :)I think all of us got that experience....
  
• making boats out of bucket lids to float in puddles with grandma
• drinking from the hose
• the swamp cooler
  
• riding the motorcycle
• going out to eat....always chinese :)
  
• family reunions
  
• driving the cars in the field with and without mom and dads permission
• spending the night at grandma and grandpas
• grandpas jokes
  
• my scooter
• pulling down all the christmas boxes to look at all our decorations in the middle of June
  
• all our kitties and bunnies
• the little red wagon
• mom and dad reading us stories and tucking us into bed
  
• running up the long rocky driveway to check the mail with no shoes on
• birthday parties
• my first concert.....new kids on the block!! a total surprise all the way up until my mom and I were dropping my aunts off at the concert...I was trying hard to hold back tears....and I got to get out and go with them!!!!
• moms amazing cakes
• our tank made from a refrigerator box
• hide and seek
• running errands with mom
  
• playing in the snow
• the magic of Christmas
  
• waking up to the birds singing in the summertime
• open windows with fresh country air blowing through the house
• rainbows
• the beautiful view of the mountains, right out our front window
• the fresh smell of mint
• the not so fresh smell of skunk
• playing in the ditch
• otterpops
• our pool(only a foot and a half deep but SO much fun!)
• "shaving" with dad...he would put cream all over my face too and I'd shave it off with the shaving cream cap
• playing house
• my amazing Halloween costumes...usually handmade by mom
  
• waking up at 6 am on Saturday....just to watch saturday morning cartoons....

I have to find a stopping point for now at least...more and more keep coming to mind...it makes me really wish I could go back in time...but it also makes me realize if I can someday give my kids even half of the great memories and experiences I had I think I'll be doing just fine....

White Chili

-Award winning White Chili!!-

I entered my first ward chili cook off this weekend and won for the best white chili with this recipe:
(so what if there were only 2 other pots of white chili there.....:)

Creamy White Chili

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 medium onion, chopped (I used a red onion)
1 T minced garlic
1 tablespoon oil
2-3 cans (15 1/2 ounces each) Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) chicken broth
2-3 cans (4 ounces each) chopped green chilies
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream

In a large saucepan, saute chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilies and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream and cream. Its really good garnished with fresh cilantro and chunks of avocado. Serve immediately. Makes about 6 servings.

Crock pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

2 cans of chicken broth
about 6 boneless/skinless chicken strips
a can of black beans, drained and rinsed
a can of stewed tomatoes, undrained
a can of corn, undrained
a can of pinto beans, drained and rinsed
a can of green chilies, undrained
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 C. salsa
I add a little cumin and chili powder

Cook in crock pot 3-4 hours on low, just until chicken is cooked and easily shreds...if you are using chicken breast it may take longer..

Top with:
baked tortilla strips, sour cream/guacamole, fresh squeezed lime, pico de gallo, cilantro......

I am Thankful...........

Happy November!

This is an extra special time of year to think about all I have to be thankful for, especially being so far away from almost everything that I love, here are just a few......

a sweet husband
the best family in the world
prayer
great friends
fresh cut flowers
thunderstorms
being a big sister
roasted butternut squash
a loving Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ
beautiful fall leaves
my adorable niece and nephew
student loans.....for now....
not so much when it comes time to pay them back.... :)
the food network channel
carmel apple cider
getting to see family in 50 days!
and of course.....Christmas(the most wonderful time of the year)is just around the corner!!!