Our Microwave lives on.....

I don't know quite how to say this...our microwave didn't die. Here is what happened....After we figured out the microwave wasn't working Eric took the microwave to the dumpster at our apartment complex. Resisting the urge to smash the microwave into the dumpster for some reason he just set the microwave on the top of the pile and walked away. Later that evening Eric wanted some toast but was confused when the toaster wasn't working either. Lo and behold our breaker just needed to be reset...once he got the toaster up and running he bolted to the garbage can to grab our microwave. It was still sitting there nice and safe. When I came home I was very suprised to see our microwave back on the counter....needless to say our microwave was never really broken and next time we think something is dead....we will check more than the outlets connected to the same breaker... :)

Death of a Microwave

After years of service, our microwave is finally gone. It was given to us when we were first married and has traveled with us from apartment to apartment for 3 and 1/2 years now. The other day I looked at it to see the time and was suprised to find that the time wasn't displaying. I wondered if Eric wanted to save electricity by unplugging the microwave when it wasn't being used. I forgot about my microwave until Eric came home and asked if I had unplugged it and then the sad truth unfolded. The microwave was plugged in but no longer worked. Our appliance was good to us and popped some mean popcorn. I was sad today when I tried to make lunch and realized that everything I was going to make needed to be microwaved....I guess it is time to move on and get a new microwave.

O Christmas Tree!

Here is our Christmas tree this year!

This is an ornament we put on the tree every year. Eric puts it front and center and I hide it so it gets moved around all Christmas season!

Here's the tree!

Gingerbread Contest!!!

We went to a gingerbread aka graham cracker house party a little while ago. Good times were had by all!

Here is our house...I realized a little too late that we should have put snow on the ground instead of green grass so....we made a bahamas Christmas gingerbread house instead!

Here's the gingerbread making gang!

Keeli Loves to Eat!!

Here is Keeli eating!!!

She loves her food!!

Yummy!

My favorite foods at the moment are....

Mmm....so good!

4 Months old...holy smokes

I can't believe it has already been 4 months...on the other hand it seems like Keeli has been a part of our family forever! Here are her stats:

Head 15 and 1/2 inches - 55 percentile

Weight 13 pounds 10 ounces - 75 percentile

Height 26 and 1/2 inches - 95 percentile

Like my dad says, "Keeli is tall, slender, and humble (since she has such a little head)"

Here are some pics...enjoy!

What I was doing 10 years ago:
1. I was in 7th grade at Glacier Park in Maple Valley
2. I was probably wearing a sweatshirt
3. Crushing and writing notes to boys probably :)
4. Doing homework
5. Dancing

Things on my to-do list:
1. Set up our Roth IRAs
2. Clean the house
3. Return a jacket and go to kid to kid
4. Go into work today
5. Get everything ready for pack meeting

Snacks that I enjoy:
1. Fruit
2. gold fish
3. banana shakes
4. cheetos
5. toast

5 Things I would do if I were a millionaire:
1. Buy a house
2. Invest
3. Get our food storage
4. Buy a jogging stroller
5. Leave envelopes of money in people's mailboxes

5 places I've lived:
1. Maple Valley, WA
2. Fredericksburg, VA
3. Orem/Provo, UT
4. Kirkland, WA
5. Heber, UT

Jobs I've had:
1. Subway
2. Waitress at Cheeseburger in Paradise
3. Subway again
4. Redx
5. Agemni

5 People I Tag:
1. Lindsey
2. Dad
3. Kristie
4. Amy
5. Cami

Keeli is 3 months old!!!

Goodbye Flip Flops...New Socks?!

Today is a sad day for my feet. It is officially too cold outside to wear flip flops in Utah. When temperatures sink below 40 degrees it is time to pack away the flops for another year. (Well, I still wear them to get the mail in the snow or sometimes I just wear them around the house so my feet don't go through withdrawals.) We turned the heat on, the mountains are dusted with snow, and we even woke up to snow over the weekend. I am sad fall only lasted a few days; however, in the midst of my sadness my feet did find joy! How do you ask?! Well, I was digging through my sock drawer to protect my feet and low and behold I found a hidden bare of brand new socks! Now, I am definitely not a sock person but a brand new pair of socks is just like wearing slippers. I slipped them on and now my toes are warm and toasty as I write away. Now I just have to figure out a way to keep socks on Keeli's feet and I will be sitting pretty.

High Fructose Corn Syrup

I recently saw an ad on TV talking high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). The commercial was trying to convince viewers that HFCS was no different than regular sugars. Below are the facts it tried to state:

• High fructose corn syrup has the same number of calories as table sugar and is equal in sweetness. It contains no artificial or synthetic ingredients.


• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted high fructose corn syrup "Generally Recognized as Safe" status for use in food, and reaffirmed that ruling in 1996 after thorough review.


• High fructose corn syrup offers numerous benefits. It keeps food fresh, enhances fruit and spice flavors, retains moisture in bran cereals, helps keep breakfast and energy bars moist, maintains consistent flavors in beverages and keeps ingredients evenly dispersed in condiments.

When trying to convince the public that HFCS is safe and harmless I wouldn't recommend using the words, "generally recognized as safe". Below are some of the true facts about high fructose corn syrup:

• Today, food companies use HFCS—a mixture of fructose and glucose—because it’s inexpensive, easy to transport and keeps foods moist. And because HFCS is so sweet, it’s cost effective for companies to use small quantities of HCFS in place of other more expensive sweeteners or flavorings.


• When HFCS is ingested, it travels straight to the liver which turns the sugary liquid into fat, and unlike other carbohydrates HFCS does not cause the pancreas to produce insulin; which acts as a hunger quenching signal to the brain. So we get stuck in a vicious cycle, eating food that gets immediately stored as fat and never feeling full.


• Fructose requires a different metabolic pathway than other carbohydrates because it basically skips glycolysis (normal carbohydrate metabolism). Because of this, fructose is an unregulated source of “acetyl CoA,” or the starting material for fatty acid synthesis. This, coupled with unstimulated leptin levels, is like opening the flood gates of fat deposition.


• High in fructose and low in copper-containing foods result in inadequate formation of elastin and collagen--the sinews that hold the body together. (aka people are aging quicker)

Because fructose is cheap and easy to store it has replace refined sugar is many instances. Sure, it is okay to eat a sugary sweet every now and then but our bodies are on overload from eating processed, manufactured foods. The best way to stay away from HFCS is to make your food at home more often and check food labels while grocery shopping. Once you start checking labels you will be shocked to see how many foods HFCS has crept its way into. It has taken me over a year to finally find staples such as bread, jam, crackers, cereal, and juice drinks that didn't contain high amounts of HFCS. Below is a list of major foods you want to try and avoid to reduce your consumption of HFCS:

Regular soft drinks
Fruit juice and fruit drinks that are not 100 percent juice
Pancake syrups
Popsicles
Fruit-flavored yogurts
Frozen yogurts
Ketchup and BBQ sauces
Jarred and canned pasta sauces
Canned soups
Canned fruits (if not in its own juice)
Breakfast cereals
Highly sweetened breakfast cereals

HFCS and other sweeteners react to the body much like a drug does. If you don't believe me, try to stop eating sugar cold turkey....I had a headache for two weeks straight trying to rid myself of my sugar high. and now when I eat sugar it feels just like I have taken too much cold medicine. My head feels foggy, I get a headache, and my stomache hurts.

The producers of HFCS can try and tell me that HFCS is safe but from the real facts and personal experience I have to say it's a lie. And besides, if you need a commercial to try and convince people your product is safe...something has to be wrong.

Heaven in my Mouth

Here is the perfect meal....mmmm

Zuppa Toscana....yes, it tastes just like the soup from Olive Garden

1 lb. Italian Sausage

3-4 potatoes, cut in small pieces

1 Onion chopped

6 slices of bacon fried, drained, and crumbled

1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic

2 C. kale or swiss chard chopped

2 cans chicken broth

1 qt. water

1 C. heavy whipping cream

Cook sausage and drain on paper towel. Place onions and bacon in a large saucepan. Cook over medium heat until onions are almost clear. Remove bacon and crumble. Add garlic to the onions and cook an additional 1 minute. Add chicken broth, water, and potatoes; simmer for 15 minutes. Add crumbled bacon, sausage, kale, and cream. Simmer 4 more minutes and serve with rolls or breadsticks!

Chocolate Pudding Cake...this chocolate cake is worth eating sugar for!

Bake any chocolate cake in 9x13 pan and let cool completely.

Mix 8 oz. cream cheese, 1 C. powdered sugar, and 1 C. whipping cream (whipped first). Spread over cake and refrigerate 30-60 minutes.

Mix 1 large box of instant chocolate pudding with 2 cups of milk. Spread and let set.

Spread 1 small cool whip (8 oz.) and grate chocolate bar over top.