Sisterly Love.

I wanted to dedicate this post to my sissy Andrea.  Holy cow, where would I be without her.  She really has been such an angel in my life.  She has helped me through so much. Always giving me such amazing advice, and listening to me complain about my life 24/7 to her.  Thank you, Andrea for being my best friend.. I know God made us sisters for a reason.. You are such a great mom to your boys, I hope to be as good of a mom as you are one day.  I look up to you in so many ways.. You help me to see where i am slacking in life.  You always help me to remember that God does love me and has a special plan for me, and that I am not alone on this earth. And that on a cloudy day, you can make me smile.  Im grateful that you love food as much as i do.. :) And that we can joke about anything and everything.. We can look at pinterest all day together, and never get bored of the two categories that we look at... FOOD and FITNESS.  Those are probably our biggest joys in life.  Thank you for helping me to believe in myself that i can accomplish certain things, and be the bigger person in a situation.
           

Two words... Spokane, Washington. 

Love yah sis!

Christmas comes but once a year

Wow, Christmas has come and gone.. already! This month, actually this year has really flown by... I very much enjoyed Christmas this year though. Its so nice to be able to be home and spend so much time with family and friends. Mom baking tons of goodies in the kitchen, the nephews running around, laughing and playing with each other.  Everyone else sitting back telling stories of their childhood.  Ahh a Christmas to remember for sure.

Me and the little Ry. He will make such a cute baseball player someday

CHRISTMAS MORNING

These boys don't even know what to think they are so excited to see what Santa brought

Anyways, that was our wonderful Christmas Eve. Steak, Crab legs, Shrimp and Candle lit dinner.  Thats my favorite part, eating dinner with everyone! Its so much fun to have little kids around during Christmas.  When you see them get all excited for Santy to come, i couldn't help but get butterflies myself. YAY!  It was an adventurous and successful morning.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas as well.  May this holiday spirit of giving stay with you year round :)

There's a Reason for the Season

23 Days Until Christmas

This movie for my family is a definite must during the Christmas Season. A Chevy Chase Classic.

Have a very merry friday everyone! 

Love,

 Me and the Little Monster. 

Let the Merriness Begin

I can't even believe how fast time goes when you get older.  I feel like when i was a little kid, a year would seem to last forever!! I thought that Christmas would never come, or any of my favorite holidays.  But now that i am older, i feel like everything is coming and going WAY to fast!!  Where does all of the time go??? I usually always start a Christmas countdown like 75 days before Christmas.  But this year i haven't even started one yet. Bummer. I guess i will start mine now!

24 Days until Christmas!

I went to Temple Square last night in Salt Lake City, Utah.  It really is one of thee most beautiful and peaceful places to be. I love all of the lights they put up.  And seeing the Temple at night is just breath taking.  I am so very grateful for the gospel that i am in.  To know not only that our Savior died for us, but that he also lives.  And that one day we can return to live with him again.  I am so grateful and happy to know that i can be with my family forever.  Family is everything.  They are my biggest support in this world.  

Anyways, i hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. 

HAPPY THURSDAY!

Crumbles Galore.

   What is it about the holiday season that makes me want to make and eat everything sugary, buttery, cinnamonny and delicious??? Ahhh its terrible, but i am enjoying it :) I have another new recipe for you readers that you have to try.  I just made it today and it was soo good.  An absolutely perfect holiday treat..

ZUCCHINI BREAD WITH CRUMBLE TOPPING. 

(Don't mind that everything i bake has a crumble topping these days, but i am in love with crumbles at the moment!) 

Ingredients: 

3 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3 eggs (i used egg whites, so lower calories)

1 cup vegetable oil

2 1/4 cups sugar

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

 2 cups grated zucchini

Directions: Take two 8x4 inch pans, cover the sides and bottoms with wax paper.  I also sprayed the pans with non stick cooking spray just to be safe.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 

Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl

Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, sugar together in a large bowl.  Add sifted ingredients to the creamed          mixture, and beat well.  Stir in zucchini until well combined.  Pour even amount into each pan.

CRUMBLE TOPPING:

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 - 4 tablespoons chilled butter

1/4 cup oatmeal

Combine all dry ingredients together in a bowl.  Cut butter into chunks and mix well until ingredients, do so until it starts to crumble.  After mixture is done, sprinkle over batter. 

Bake for 40 - 60 minutes. Or until tester inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pan on rack for 5 minutes.  Very good with butter melted on top of slice!! 

 Also!! I am going home tomorrow for a little day and a half Thanksgiving break.  I am so excited to see my family in St. George! And to have a big, yummy dinner with all my relatives. BUT first i have to finish my 2 AM shift tomorrow morning. SO i am going to be living off of no sleep the next couple of days. but thats okay.  Family is SOOOOOO worth it. 

Be thankful, everyone. We live in a beautiful world and its YOUR choice to make it an even better place.  

Loves, 

              Aubs. 

A Little Holiday Baking

Mini Apple Crumble Pie... YUM!

I have been craving holiday treats for the longest time now, and i finally baked something and they turned out delicious :)

This recipe makes 24 little pies. :)

 Start by cutting up eight cups of apples into small 1/2 inch pieces.  Put the cut up apples into a large container. Mix the apples with: 12 tablespoons of flour
                                                   1 1/2 cups of sugar
                                                   4 heaping teaspoons of cinnamon
                                                   1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg. You can do a little less if you don't want a
                                                    strong flavor of nutmeg.
You will want to mix this very well. After mixing you might find some of the dry mixture at the bottom, but thats okay because the apples juice will fix that.

Next you will need: 1/2 cube of chilled butter
                                 1 box of pie crust, 2 boxes might be easier so you don't have to stretch the crust so
                                 much.

Unroll first pie crust. I poured a little flour on the counter just to make sure it wouldn't stick.

To make the circles i used a wide mouth cup, but wide mouth mason jar lids work the best. Continue to do this until you have enough circles..

Don't mind the dirty pan, i was already on my second batch of these :) 

Spray each hole in the pan with pam or some type of nonstick cooking spray, and then line each hole with the pie circles. Then gently put a couple of spoonfuls of the apple mixture into the crust. Fill until slightly mounded. 

Then take the equally divided butter and put on top of each pie. 

Preheat oven to 400. 

Now to make the crumble!! 

You will need:  2/3 cup flour

                         1/2 cup instant rolled oats

                         1/3 cup packed brown sugar

                         1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

                         1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

                         6 tablespoons cold butter, sliced

                         1/3 cup chopped pecans

Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl, after thoroughly mixed, add sliced butter and mix well with hand. 

After all ingredients are mixed well sprinkle on top of each pie. You can be very generous. 

Put in oven, and bake for 18 - 22 minutes.  I set mine for 20 minutes and they turned out wonderful.  After ten minutes of cooking though i checked the pies every two minutes until they were done to perfection. 

DELICIOUS! Serve with Ice cream, milk or just eat them as they are. Enjoy making these, they are quick and easy : )

I Believe

I believe that in every challenge we are given we can and will become stronger from it. 

I believe that your happiness does not depend on what others do or say or what happens around you.  It comes from within you and from being at peace with yourself. 

I believe that you will find more joy in life if you think less of yourselves and do more for others.  

I believe that we are all great in the eyes of God. 

What do you believe? 

 Happy Thursday everyone!