may all your wishes come true

When the clock strikes twelve this December 31st, may you begin a new chapter of your life with opportunity, and end one with no regrets. Wishing you a New Year filled with joy, hope and prosperity.

wordless Wednesday - closed for the season

crockpot tex mex turkey soup

I'm a big fan of soup for the cold winter weather. I could make a meal of it everyday for lunch or dinner. Here's a yummy soup for the leftover turkey after the holiday. A great alternative to turkey sandwiches!

ingredients:
1 T. olive oil
1/2 c. chopped onion
2 t. minced garlic
1/2 t. oregano
1 t. dried parsley
2 t. chili powder
1/2 t. cumin
1 t. salt
4 c. water
3 zucchini, sliced 1/2" thick, halved
2 c. frozen corn
3 t. instant chicken bouillon
2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
1 c. salsa (your favorite brand)
4 c. shredded cooked turkey
2 (14 oz.) cans black beans, drained
1 c. sour cream

directions:
Heat olive oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion begins to soften. Set aside.
In crock pot, pour cans of diced tomatoes, drained black beans. Add salsa, water, turkey, zucchini, corn, sour cream, cooked onion and garlic. Stir until sour cream is well blended. Add chili powder, cumin, oregano, parsley, salt, chicken bouillon and mix well. Cook on low setting for 6-7 hours.

This soup is wonderful served with bread, tortilla strips, shredded cheese and avocado. Bon appetit!

helping the birds

"A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song" ....Maya Angelou

I like to help birds in the winter and here is an easy homemade bird feeder that's fun for the whole family to create. Simply coat a pine cone with peanut butter, roll it in birdseed and hang in your yard. I provide several bird feeders in my yard, and this one is always wiped clean long before the others.

wordless Wednesday - snow bird

cookies for santa

I've used this recipe now three years in a row and I'm never disappointed. It's easy and the cookies come out a nice crisp, buttery taste. This year, for convenience, I bought Martha Stewart's icing detailer in a squeeze container and generic sprinkles - both found on sale right now at Michaels and Jo-Ann Fabrics.


cream together:
1 c. butter
2/3 c. sugar
beat in:
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
add:
2 1/2 c. sifted flour
Mix until ingredients are well blended. Wrap dough in wax paper and chill 3 to 4 hours before rolling. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out on slightly floured surface and cut with cookie cutters. If using sprinkles, coat dough with desired amount. Bake for 13 minutes or until barely light brown at edges.

wordless Wednesday - my favorite season

wordless Wednesday - kilauea lighthouse

wordless Wednesday - shades of orange

what a ham

Lately, whenever we get the camera out, Ian will go into his overly-enthusiastic smile pose. He just loves to show all four teeth. I think he should be a poster boy. Maybe his joyous, ever so free, sunshine personality will be contagious.

potting table

Here it is. The first completed potting table. I have always wanted a potting table, and after lots of searching have come up with a design I think is both beautiful and efficient. I employed my father-in-law to do the woodworking and I put the finishing touches of sanding and painting. My plan is to keep one for myself (of course) and have two available for purchase at my booth at Momma's Organic Market http://mommasorganicmarket.com , which starts September 19th. Come see me!

wordless Wednesday - garden statue, louvre

cooking with riley

After school today, I was in the process of changing the television to the usual requested Nickelodeon channel when Riley shouted out for me not to change the tv because she wanted to see what the lady was cooking. I left her to this and about 10 minutes later she came into the kitchen and announced she was going to draw the ingredients to the salad recipe she witnessed so we could make it tomorrow.
ingredients: (top, clockwise)
cheese
pasta
brown beans
edamame (she is well aware of this from our weekly sushi dinner)
cucumber
I found this all very interesting and tried to locate the cooking show this evening, but couldn't remember the channel. Not sure we will be making this anytime soon.

wordless Wednesday - spouting horn blow hole

wordless Wednesday - Kahn

it's beginning to look a lot like Halloween

I love, love, love the fall season and Halloween is a favorite time of year. However, seeing the stores are already stocking up on candy is not good. I see all my favorites and just have to have them now. I tell myself I'll save the candy until that night, but who am I kidding. I've broken open the bags the same day I bring them home and then I'm out again to buy more for "that night."

wordless Wednesday - powered by the wind

riley in school uniform

Today, my first born starts kindergarten. It's hard to believe just five short years ago she was a helpless little being, and here she is now telling her parents how to do things and questioning our every word. Oh, the joy, laughter, heartache and crying we have ahead of us!

wordless Wednesday - flower power

wordless Wednesday - garden pots

puppy love

Let me introduce you to the newest member of our family, Tipper. She is a 7 week old Lab/German Shepard mix. Appropriately named for the white at the tip of her tail. The only one from a litter of twelve with this marking.

youngest of eight

She is kind, loving, beautiful, independent, smart, talkative, hard-working, spirited. She is my sister, Wanda.

wordless Wednesday - mama's teacups

wordless Wednesday - nature lovers

cake mix cookies

Here's an easy, yummy cookie recipe from a box cake mix. My dear friend, Mary, shared this recipe with me a few days ago, and I had to give it a try. They are a snap to make and delicious. Thank you Mary!

ingredients:
1 box cake mix (yellow or chocolate)
2 eggs
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. chocolate chips
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until blended. Drop by spoonfuls 2" apart on un-greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 min.

carlsbad, california

While daddy was in Utah at the Regional Soaring Competition, I took the kids and headed west to Carlsbad, California to get out the of 100+ degree weather we have in Arizona. We visited Legoland and the beaches. We had a marvelous time and it was hard to leave my home state and the temperatures in the 70's.







This is a part of Legoland called "miniland" where you will find cities in the USA displayed in mini form. It is amazing what you can do with Lego's!

Carlsbad is one of many ocean side towns along the coast. We visited the beach every day.

one fish, two fish, red fish...

Ian loves red Swedish fish. He uses all four teeth to devour every one he can get his little hands on.

wordless Wednesday - skull valley, arizona

strawberry salsa

This is a wonderful summer salsa. The recipe is something my brother-in-law, Tim, came up with and was kind enough to share with me. It's great over salmon. I'm thinking the next time I make it, I may add firm avocados to it.

ingredients:

1 lb. strawberries, diced

1 cucumber, diced (peel cucumber, cut in half and spoon seeds out)

1 jalapeno

1 medium red onion

1/3 c. chopped almonds

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 Tbsp. crushed red pepper

1/2 tsp. salt

Mix all ingredients in bowl and add 1/2 tsp. water to dissolve sugar.

Enjoy!

wordless Wednesday - plumeria flower island of kauai

wordless Wednesday - alarm clock

the grand hike

Hiking the Grand Canyon's South Rim is an incredible adventure. My good friend, Diana, and I hiked Hermit trail to Dripping Springs this past weekend. Hermit trail is one of the more moderate hiking trails, not maintained by the park and is steep, rocky and demanding in both directions. It's approximately seven and a half miles from the start of Hermit trail to Dripping Springs, round trip. The hike in is pleasant, but a tough workout. The hike out is tortuous. We didn't know if we wanted to crawl or cry. Having completed it, there is a sense of fulfillment and we are already planning to hike again next year on another trail going a bit further into the canyon this time.

One of three signs marking this trail.

Diana on the trail midway hiking in.

A few images while on the trail.

Here I am at our destination. There was a feeling of pride, however, I still had to complete the most difficult part, the hike out.

Diana on the trail hiking out near the end.

Looking back onto the trail hiking out. Viewing one of MANY switchbacks.
Heed to the sign.

**note** A special "thank you" to my wonderful husband. He stayed home taking care of the two kids all weekend so I could go on this hike. I love you Ted!