Christmas 2009

We had a fantastic Christmas this year. We stayed with Sean's parents and have had a great time. Sean's brother from Texas and his family were also able to come and we've had a lot of fun.

On Christmas Eve it is a Ricks tradition to do a live nativity. Jackson got to be the baby Jesus this year and I giggled throughout the whole thing because he looked so funny! Here is Mary and Jesus:

Christmas morning was so much fun this year. Santa was good to us :) I wasn't sure Jackson would catch on to the unwrapping part, but he did good job! He seemed really excited about his gifts. It was so much fun to have a kid at Christmas!

This was his favorite Santa gift. He LOVES it (in case you can't tell from the sheer joy on his face):His nana and papa gave him this awesome chair that I know he is going to love. I wish they made them for adults.
Tuckered out after all of the excitement.And I thought I'd include a picture of Sean in his sweet new mechanic's suit.

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Family pictures

We got family pictures taken awhile back and I am just getting around to posting them. My sister's friend Jane from See Jane Shoot took them for us and did a great job. I am SO happy with how they turned out! Here are my favorites:

Now I just have to worry about Jackson's 1-year pictures in January and then I am done with pictures for awhile. They are stressful! At least I won't be in those ones and won't have to worry about sucking in!

Gingerbread house

We made our annual gingerbread house last night. We actually didn't make one last year because I was the size of a blimp and couldn't muster the energy!

Eating candy before we've even started :)

Note: this is what happens when you forget to pick up the candy you let fall on the floor and you have an 11-month old. Somehow he managed to get it all over the back of the shirt too. Miraculously, it came out!

The end result: nice and rustic--just how we like it ;)

The stockings were hung...

I made Christmas stockings for our family this year. It is something I meant to do last year but just didn't get it done. I am so happy with how they turned out! A few months ago I got a Crate & Barrel catalog and I saw a reindeer stocking I loved. I decided to try and re-create it and hence we have Jackson's stocking:


They also had a cute little snowman design on a candle that I copied and put on Sean's stocking:

And finally, they are selling some really cute plates with a design similar to the one I put on my stocking:

I love Crate & Barrel! I used this free pattern to cut out the basic shape of the stockings.

Finally, I had to throw this picture in from when we set up our Christmas lights last week!

Meeting the big guy

There was no crying or tears, just smiling and a lot of looking around :) We went to Festival of Trees with my sister and her kids and had a great time. I forgot my camera, but luckily my sister grabbed this pic on her phone!

Thanksgiving 2009

We had a great Thanksgiving in Idaho Falls! We went to my parents' house this year and my mom cooked an awesome dinner complete with her famous "Joan's rolls." My sister and her family and my brother Thomas and his wife were there and it was fun having everyone together.

Here's Dave carving the turkey, for which we are all grateful since it has proven a source of contention in past years for someone who shall remain nameless... hahahaha

Butch (aka Thomas) and Sean
Jackson's new favorite toy at grandma and grandpa's house

Eating a "Joan's roll." Notice my plate is completely clean-- I'm actually using the roll to wipe up the plate!

Jackson was able to enjoy the feast in the high chair (with a large sheet underneath so he would not destroy the carpet). I knew he'd love Thanksgiving because eating is pretty much his favorite thing. Love this kid! And loved that he ate everything I gave him!

Check out those chompers!

I volunteered to make one of the pies. I had been wanting to try out a coconut cream pie with a chocolate crust from my Everyday Food magazine. It was a hit! I loved it and think I will make it again for Christmas. If anyone would like the recipe, let me know.

We got in some Black Friday shopping (beginning at 11am because we are not crazy) and we also went and saw the new "A Christmas Carol" in 3D. We both loved the movie and it was nice to have a night out. Sean also went fly fishing most of Saturday and we just spent a lot of time hanging out with both my family and his during the week. Jackson and I ended up getting colds at the end of the vacation, but nothing too dramatic. I'm just happy it was after Thanksgiving so I could eat to my heart's desire!

A few things I am thankful for this Thanksgiving:

-My cute little family. Sean is my best friend and Jackson is the light of my life. They are the best part of every day for me.

-My parents, brothers and sister, and in-laws. Also, the opportunity to see many of them fairly often.

-Good friends who buoy me up.

-My church.

-A roof over our heads and a comfortable home.

-Food on our table-- especially during a time when many people are struggling.

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and have much to be grateful for this year!

Happy 28th Sean!

Sean's birthday was Nov. 19th and we had a great time celebrating. It was a busy day complete with homemade sausage egg Mcmuffins (his favorite) and smoothies for breakfast, a flu shot for Jackson, school, family pictures, dinner at Tucanos, German chocolate cake with some of my family and one of Sean's league basketball games. Oh and I capped off the night by going to the midnight showing of New Moon with some friends and somehow stayed awake. Busy, but a great day! Sean deserved a good birthday :)

Also, I made German chocolate frosting for the first time and it was SO much better than the canned stuff. Here is the recipe if anyone wants to try it.

Coconut Frosting:
3 eggs yolks
1 cup sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/3 cup flaked coconut (I added a little more)
1 cup chopped Walnuts (or pecan's whatever you prefer)

Combine egg yolks, sugar, evaporated milk, butter and vanilla. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened, 12 to 15 minuets. Add coconut and walnuts. Beat until thick enough to spread. Makes 3 cups, enough to cover tops of three 8 or 9 inch layers or 1 9x13 inch cake.

Choripan

Sean made an authentic Argentine meal for us this week. Yes, you read that correctly... Sean made it! ;)

Ever since he's been home from his mission I've heard about "choripan." I guess it's a popular street vendor item there. Basically it is a sandwich made with grilled chorizo sausage, french bread and chimichurri. The sandwich rocked-- and I loved that I didn't have to make it. I also discovered I love chimichurri. I love love love it. Those Argentines know what's up.

For dessert we had dulce de batata, which was also really good. I'm not even sure how to really explain it. It's like candied sweet potato/gelatin that you cut into a wedge. You serve it with queso cremoso (creamy cheese). Definitely unlike anything I had ever tasted before, but surprisingly very good!

Chimichurri recipe here.

Pioneer Woman cookbook signing

I met the Pioneer Woman (aka Ree Drummond) on Wednesday night at her cookbook signing in Salt Lake! For those of you who don't know who she is, she has an awesome cooking blog that I read all the time. She's dang funny and every recipe of hers that I've tried has been delicious. In fact, I am making her chicken scallopine tomorrow for Sunday dinner.

The book signing was at the King's English bookshop in Sugarhouse. I'd never been, but it's quite the charming little place. Ree (calling her by her first name since now we're bff's--lol) did a Q&A at the beginning and she was just as beautiful and funny as I'd hoped. She actually walked right past me on her way out of the room. She saw I was taking a picture (the first one I posted) and paused for me and said, "Photoshop me!" which I thought was hilarious.

It took quite awhile to get my cookbook signed, but I'm so glad I went. When it was actually my turn I was almost tongue tied. I can't even remember what we talked about, but she was extremely friendly and classy. It was a lot of fun to meet her and judging from what I've been able to read so far, the cookbook looks like it is going to be one of my favorites. I'm very grateful Sean was a good sport and kept me company in SLC while waiting for my group to be called to get the book signed.

If anyone is interested, I have a link to her blog under "favorite sites" on the right. Isn't she pretty? She and Paula Deen are my make-believe real friends.