Holiday Update

So, I've been so horrible at staying up to date lately, but here are the pictures I've been promising of Halloween and Ammon's adorable skunk costume and of Thanksgiving with our families.
Oh I love the Holidays!!


My dearest and I enjoying what Halloween is all about...Pure straight UGLY!!!

What a little Stinker!!

Thanksgiving with our Family. Dat' Baby is just makin' himself comfortable

Ammon the Great

Oh my newest favorite addition to Ammon's wardrobe!  It's his cozy little bear outfit.  He looks extra cuddly in it!! 

Our long awaited Jumperoo, we love this thing!

Oh, woah!  What's that!!  I love this picture cause he looks extra chubby!

Oh it's so comfy in your baby bed.  Look at those guns!!

6 months & Counting

It is truly so amazing just how fast your little one grows.  When you first have your baby you hear non-stop about just how quickly they grow up, and you can't truly appreciate this absolute fact until you watch it right before your very eyes with each milestone; a new squeal, a new manuver, and sight of the first tooth.  It is so very exciting to watch them grow and develop, yet one can't help but to feel slightly saddened in the realization that your baby will not always be a baby.

This is definitely the work of his papa!!  Mmmm... Sweet Potato Surprise!

My Bad!!

Ok, my bad!!  There will be no jean party.  I totally realized just earlier today that it will completely interfere with Conference, and we can't have that, now can we?!!

Before & After

beforeafter

It's amazing to see the contrast of Ammons head before and after the surgery.  He was so incredibly adorable before but you can see how narrow it was up top compared to now.  I am so grateful for modern medicine, surgical practices, and a marvelous surgeon!  Now Ammon has a perfectly round little nogin!

Funny Baby

Oh my little man is so sweet!  He laughs at everything, this makes me feel pretty good, like I'm a really good  comedian or something

Savory Chicken Sandwiches

This is a perfect summer dinner to squeeze in before it starts getting too cold!  These are the best chicken sandwiches I've ever had!  The flavor is so good and they smell fantastic while they simmer in the slow cooker.  

4 chicken breasts

1 envelope onion soup mix

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

1/4 cup italian salad dressing

6 hamburger buns

Directions

Place chicken in a 5-qt. slow cooker.  Sprinkle with soup mix and garlic salt.  Pour dressing and water over chicken.  Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours or high about 5 hours.  Remove chicken; cool slightly.  Skim fat from cooking juices.  Shred chicken and serve warm on the buns.  Delish!!

Just Cant Get Enough...

So lately I just cant seem to get enough food.  I swear I'm hungry all day long!  This completely goes against everything I've trained myself to do over the past three years, yikes!!  I think it's because I've recently fallen in love with cooking again and I get so excited to taste the evenings fine cuisine, and therefor I'm no longer afraid of food as I have been.  In a way it's incredibly liberating, not being so confined and consumed by the unquenchable need to diet and stay in shape, or rather, get in shape; And of course, as you've by now guessed my plan to do a figure contest has waved bye-bye, but for now I don't even care, I can hardly believe my own cavalier thoughts on the matter.  Perhaps this is a new me...geeze I hope not!

Barley Vegetable Stew

So, I don't typically like the soup recipes I find so I compiled this one on my own and it is fantastic!! It's now my most favorite vegetable soup recipe and it's 100% healthy!

Barley Vegetable Stew

7 cups chicken broth
1 cup uncooked barley
2 large carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 zucchini, chopped
1 (16 ounce) pkg frozen mixed vegetables
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
1 onion, chopped
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

DIRECTIONS Pour the vegetable broth into a large pot. Add the barley, carrots, celery, tomatoes, zucchini, garbanzo beans, onion, and bay leaves. Season with garlic powder, sugar, salt, pepper, parsley, curry powder, paprika, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 90 minutes. The soup will be very thick. You may adjust by adding more broth or less barley if desired. Remove bay leaves before serving.

We arrived home from the hospital around noon, and Ammon has been sleeping ever since (currently four hours and counting).  He is doing so great and healing so rapidly.  His tolerance for pain is so amazing to me; through our whole hospital stay he only cried a couple of times despite his inability to see anything, he is truly an amazing little man!

This picture is of him the day after his surgery with his swollen little eyes.

Afternoon Photoshoot

I wanted to take some fun pictures of my little sweety before his surgery, so we went into the front-yard while Ammon worked it for the camera. Say Cheese!!

I'm Committed!!

Alright, I've had it!!  I am going to start training for a figure competition once and for all!!  Perhaps by posting my commitment on my blog will greater ensure that I follow through with it...finally!  This chick is my desired outcome (I'm sure you're all thinking, "good luck with that"..) but this woman used to weigh a whopping 200lbs!!!  And if she can do it, I can freakin' do it!

Yellowstone

We went to Yellowstone over the 24th holiday. It was such a great vacation and such a great opportunity to be surrounded by the incredible beauties of nature. Ammon was so good despite the long drive and endless hours in his car-seat. During our vacation we saw a grizzly bear in the park, pretty exciting!! He just looked so cuddly and sweet, I wanted to snuggle him!

my blanky

From Sea to Shining Sea

We had such a wonderful 4th of July.  Initially Adam, Ammon, and I were going to have a picnic just the three of us but were so blessed to have our family join us as well.  We hunted for quite a while for a great spot in the canyon where we didn't have to hear the highway or be surrounded by the hoards of people, when finally we landed the perfect spot in Bridalvail right next to the river and encompassed by the cool trees.  

Little Red

Oh my sweet little man.  He's getting so big so dang fast.  It's so fun to watch him develop as he learns new things and becomes stronger.  He still isn't sleeping much at night, I figure he just enjoys my company so much it's hard to go to bed:)  His naps are becoming more regular and for better lengths of time but we're still working on nani time!

Cherish

My love bunny only three days home from the hospital.

All Smiles!!

This little man just makes my day!!

Best Brownies

I'd like to take this blogging opportunity to share with you the most amazing brownie recipe.  I found this recipe on Allrecipes.com and have since added and subtracted my own elements having since created a masterpiece.  I am currently waiting for this fresh batch of devilishly decadent brownies to come piping hot out of the oven, even though I am on a diet (yeah right!), and thought I'd take this time to share this recipe with you.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips (or more if you're feeling saucy)

Frosting:

3 tablespoons butter, softened

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup confectioner's sugar

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour an 8 inch square pan.

In a large saucepan, melt butter.  Remove from heat and stir in sugar, eggs, and vanilla.  Beat in cocoa, flour, salt, baking powder, and chocolate chips.  Spread batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 25-30 minutes.  Do not overcook.

To make frosting:  Combine butter, cocoa, honey, vanilla, and sugar.  Frost brownies while still warm

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

These are incredibly gooey brownies, so if that's not your thing than these probably are not for you, and they're NOT low in fat, so if you're on a diet avoid these like the plague.

Enjoy!!

Baby Baller

Here's my little man, just big chillin'.  He's definitely a P.I.M.P. and now a month and a half.  Time has really flown by.

Chill Time

He loves his bath time more than anything, that is except for eating!  He could be screaming and as soon as I set him in his Safari bathtub all of the world is at ease.  He also loves just chillin in his boppy, we call it his man chair; it's too bad he just pooped all over it a couple of nights ago!

Home at Last

Ammon's first week home.  He's so tiny and wonderful here, I could have practically sworn he wouldn't get any bigger... boy was I wrong.

Such a Blessing!

It is such a miraculous blessing to be a mommy!!  Each crazy day and every sleepless night is somehow worth while.

Ammon James Jordan arrived to this world on March 19th, 2008 at 3:39 P.M. weighing 8.2 lbs. and measuring 20 in.  Here he is with his wonderful papi at the hospital.

Can't Wait

Only 11 more days to go!!  I'm considering dropping a few ounces of castor oil into my cerial, they say it lubricates all of your inner functions and induces labor...sounds like a good idea to me!  I frequently find myself daydreaming about Ammon, what he'll look like, be like, and act like. It's so hard not to marvel at the fact that you and your wonderful spouse have created something so magnificent!  I can't wait!

Prego

Well It's almost official, here I've made it about eight months and most definitely counting.  It'll be so fantastic to have a baby without the gut!!

The Weddings of 07'

Jack & Jill's

Jack & Jill's Bowling, always a refined delight!

I LOVE DISNEYLAND!!

The Faces

So, blogger has essentially become my personal scrapbook...Jessica, I couldn't find any funky faces of you.  Maybe A.C can help me out and send me some!

Me and my Hubby on the Best Day EVER!!

The Temple & Dinner

Me and my hubby the night we got engaged and all us buddies at our 3 hour dinner...

Princess Ping

Who couldn't love a face like this?!!