Welcome 2012!

Chicken Pillows anyone!? We have been lucky enough to inherit some really great recipes that came as gifts for our wedding. We are trying to take advantage of it too! So, I will here and then, mention some recipe's we have used and perhaps give recipes every once in a while too. So, I start with chicken pillows, we have done some others but I only take pictures on occasion. The delicate little tasty things are one of our new favorite meals. All you need is some Rhodes rolls, shredded chicken, jalapenos or artichoke hearts, cream cheese, an egg, salt, pepper, thyme, and seasoned bread crumbs or stuffing cubes crumbled up! You thaw the frozen rolls, mix the cream cheese, chicken, thyme, salt, pepper, and jalapenos or artichokes...or both! Flatten the rolls, put the mixture in each and bring the corners up while pinching them on top and putting the pinched side down on the pan. Dip the roll in a beaten egg and dip it in crumbs. Baked the rolls! MMMM....

I like to make a gravy to go on top. I use a can of cream of chicken soup, a can of water, and then add one of those packets with gravy seasoning! Heat it up and use it on top. I make sure and get a veggie to go along with it.

Let's eat...shall we!!??? Anyway, here we are excited to eat, getting ready! On to our New year's adventure. We missed both Thanksgiving and Christmas with family this year. So, we decided to make a trip to Colorado for New Years. We got to spend almost an entire week! Amazing! We enjoyed it so much since we both have been working a lot and this semester was crazy with all the busy classes and the wedding. We ate, ate, and ate great food, we went to movies, rented movies, cooked desserts, climbed, went running, had fun company, played games, and MANY other fun things.

 Here is Miss Paige Bluemel. Such a cute girl. She is my youngest sister. she is what I like to call a "tom boy." She loves her t-shirts, basketball shorts, and pony tails. She had a New Year's youth dance and we decided we were going to dress her up! We did her hair and make up. She was looking GOOD.

 Relax, relax, relax! Here is my handsome husband with Tim Sanderson, and my dad in the reclining chair. Tim and Jane Sanderson came to join us for New Years. They were SO much fun to have. They brought some amazing food, good laughs, and the best company. It has been some what of a tradition to get together with them on December 31st. It is their daughter, Ruth's, birthday. She has always been a very close friend for most of my life, the best kind of friend I could ask for. She is married to Steve Casey who works as a firefighter in Rock Springs, WY. They have a baby boy who was born two months early. He had a fever and their doctor advised them to keep him in town. So, they called disappointed that they'd have to stay. But on 12/31, her birthday, I guess she got up that morning and asked her husband to "take one for the team" and stay home with the baby so she could come up for her party we were planning. She called us when she was 5 minutes away!!! A great surprise for us! We made a delicious carrot cake for her and had the most food I have every seen for a party.

 Here are some of us getting ready to party. Mike and Ashley Sanderson, Paige, Trevor and his girlfriend, Celsiee, and of course Ruth!

 Front row, Ashley and Mike Sanderson. Back row, Greg and I, Paige, Trevor, Celsiee, and Ruth.

 Laying our our food, this is only one counter full. Here is is, chocolate fountain complete with strawberries, bananas, cinnamon bears, cookies, and angel food cake. The most amazing 7-layer dip, a few salads, veggies, fresh rolls, baked ham, meatballs, cheese, and carrot cake with ice cream.

 Here you see the other side.....MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!

 The group! Mrs. Urquidi, Jane Sanderson, Mr. Urquidi, Ruth, Dad, Paige, Ashley and Mike. Weston poking out the back there!

 Another group!!!! You see Celsiee, Trevor, Paige, Mike and Ashley, Weston, the back with Mr. & Mrs. Urquidi, Me, Ruth, Dad, Tim Sanderson, and Mom.

 The birthday girl herself and my husband, Greg! Look at those plates, this is only round one! Check out the drinks, we had all kinds of pop, lemonade, and the wonderful 7-UP/sherbet punch. Ringing in the New Year with happy bellies...

 Another delicious meal on another day.....this was the next day actually and my Dad's birthday! At his request we had spaghetti and meat balls. We wrapped it up with some homemade chocolate cake and pecan dressing with a few homemade cinnamon rolls on the side.

 We decided to play put-put-golf! Ruth and Greg set up a nice course for us. It was set up all over the house. The looser had to.....

 Using their "cheeks" put a quarter, after a short walk carrying the quarter, in a cowboy hat!

 Paige got it, but....

 I didn't. See the stance you have to take in order not to loose the quarter....

 The blessed cinnamon rolls....this is my favorite thing to bake. And my mom's kitchen is my favorite place to make them. Lots of room in that big kitchen.

 Dance dance! Paige has a really fun Wii game that we played several times and had fun doing it too!

 The Cody Hahn, doing some work on the wall. He just got home from Australia a few months ago! Good to see him.

 My dad came along, he was a terrific belayer. He declined climbing but was a great sport to come along anyway and belay.

 Whew...who is that muscular, hot guy!??!! That's right, it's Greg, my husband. Lucky me. :)

 Go Paige go! We had to give her some encouragement to keep climbing after one climb but I think she started to enjoy it.

 Greg is crushing this bouldering problem....

 I am not, still out of shape and weak. We have been going a ton lately and I am getting better and better. I am really enjoying a more relaxing semester!

 We were tuckered out....

Hopefully we will be able to come up with a way to make each start of the new year as great as 2012!

Trevor's first time climbing!!! He did awesome.

Go Paige!

Nice and safe belay!

 

Just a few of Greg....

Go for it Trevor! Stick it!

The battle continues....how can we find MORE time to go climbing!? And we can't wait till the weather is good enough so we can go outside!