Today's Lovelies

So you know, I'm really pro.  I have this awesome camera, but yet so things go faster sometimes when I feel like posting a quick picture, I take a horrible quality and bad lighting cell phone picture.  But hey, at least I'm posting, right?!  I need to try to get better about taking good pictures though.

Anyways, today I finished the fox and diaper pouches, and then made these zipper pouches.  Love those birdies!  I decided I need to get some more of the gray bird fabric . . . can't get enough of it!

Oh yeah, open the gray chevron pouch with the red bird and inside is some lovely birdy fabric.  Makes me smile when I open it!

And since I've been wanting another zipper pouch for myself, and I love these, I decided I'm keeping the birdy and blue polka-dot one for myself.

Well, hope you all had a lovely, creative day!

Circus Animal Cookie Cupcakes

I had seen these on Pinterest and thought that they were adorable . . . Bronwyn's birthday was coming up so I asked her if she wanted them to bring to school . . .she agreed and I happily made them!  Adorable, fun, and easy.  Where can we go wrong there?!

Circus Animal Cookie Cupcakes

Yield: 20-24 cupcakes

Cupcakes:

1 package funfetti cake mix

1 cup broken up frosted animal cookies

Frosting:

1 cube butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons milk

Red food coloring

Sprinkles

Prepare the cake mix according to directions on box.  Fold in cookie pieces and bake according to package directions.

Beat frosting until smooth and fluffy.  Add in vanilla.  Add powdered sugar and milk as needed to make the right consistency.  Frost half of cupcakes.  Add sprinkles immediately.  Mix in a few drops of food coloring to frosting and frost the rest of the cupcakes.  Embellish with frosted animal cookies.

Hope everyone has a wonderful day!

BBQ Chicken Salad w/ Cilantro Lime Ranch Recipe

We had this for lunch today.  I thought it was quite delicious . . . the sweetness of the barbecue blended with the flavor of the dressing was perfect!  And Rachel said she thought it was the best salad I've made . . . so I guess, success! :) 

BBQ Chicken Salad w/ Cilantro Lime Ranch

1 1/2 lbs chicken breast tenderloins, thawed

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup barbecue sauce (I used a mixture of regular and honey)

1 large head romaine lettuce, chopped

1-2 avocados, peeled & diced

2-3 Roma tomatoes, diced

1 1/4 cup frozen corn, thawed

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

2 green onions, chopped

1 - 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Dressing:

1/3 cup milk

1/2 cup mayo

1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon ranch seasoning mix

1/3 cup cilantro

1 clove garlic, minced

Juice of 1 lime

2 - 3 pinches cayenne pepper

Preheat grill to medium heat.  Season chicken with salt and pepper.  Spray grill with Pam and cook chicken, flipping once.  Brush both sides of chicken with barbecue sauce in the last minute or two of grilling.  Transfer chicken to a plate, cover with foil, and let sit for 10 minutes before slicing into thin strips.

To make the salad, you can either toss all ingredients together in a large bowl or layer individually on 4 - 6 plates.  Serve and top with Cilantro Lime Ranch.

To make dressing, combine all ingredients in a blender and process until cilantro is finely chopped.

Enjoy! 

Southwest Chopped Chicken Salad Recipe

A simple and scrumptious salad!

Southwest Chopped Chicken Salad

Salad:

1 head romaine lettuce, washed and chopped

2 cups sliced grilled chicken

1/2 green bell pepper

1 can black beans, rinsed

1 cup frozen corn, thawed

2 Roma tomatoes, diced

4 green onions, sliced

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

2 ripe avocados, diced

tortilla chips (If desired - I don't use them but some of the others do)

Dressing:

1/2 cup mayo

2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon taco seasoning

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Prepare all ingredients.  In a very large bowl, combine all ingredients for salad.  Toss together with tongs or large spoon.  Top salad with dressing before eating.

Have a wonderful day!

Day Trip to Long Beach

With a group of lovely girls!

We took two big vans . . . I drove ours with these girls and more not pictured.

A lovely day!

Sitting and relaxing

Pulling down the volleyball net when the tide came in to where we were.

Building a sand castle or some such . . .I wasn't around to see the finished product. :)

Tara & Katrina

Tara, Katrina, & I went to Dooger's for supper . . . Yummm!

Everyone else eating supper . . . hot dogs and chicken nuggets over the campfire.

It was a wonderful day!  Hope you all have a great day!

Huckleberry Picking - 7/30/14

Huckleberry picking.  For the adventure.  The fun.  And of course, the huckleberries.  Because what would we do without huckleberries for our pancakes, anyways?!

The kids on the way up.

Huckleberries . . . oh, yum! 

Well, hello, cutie! 

Golden sunshine in the evening.  What could be lovelier?  It is so gorgeous!  

Mountain & Flowers 

Gorgeous wildflowers! 

Dad & Tanner 

Lovely . . . 

Beautiful sunset! 

The pink glow above the mountain. 

And the kids before we left.  For some reason, they apparently all needed to be holding something! 

And then we headed home down the bumpy road towards home, where we then enjoyed some fresh huckleberry milkshakes!

Have a wonderful day!

Days 13 & 14 w/ Our Finn Girls: The Last Days

Just realized I never wrote about the last couple days with our lovely Finn girls, so I decided to do that.

Day 13:  Monday.  The Last Day.  Unfortunately, I had to make cupcakes that day for a wedding on Tuesday so that's pretty much what I spent my day doing.  Had to run to the store in the morning for some ingredients and then had to make 200+ cupcakes.  Kind of a boring day . . . but oh well.  Anyways, the girls (Rachel, Emma, Tonja, & Josefine) had been out late . . . excuse me . . . quite early . . . in the morning and slept in.  Then they along with Tara headed to Moulton Falls (it was a HOT day) and walked a bit and then sat down on the rocks and waded in the water.  Josefine went in a bit more than the other girls.  :)  Anyways, after they got home they packed.  That evening there was volleyball at Rick & Kathy's so we went and spent the evening there.  We had so much fun talking and joking around and simply being "different".  Haha!

Day 14:  Tuesday.  Up early to head to the church as the girls and the last of the Finns were leaving that morning to head to Seattle.  At the church everyone said their, perhaps, slightly teary, good-byes.  A few last hugs and good-byes, waving, and then they were gone, with prayers for safe travels headed right after them.  I actually had to head into the church to frost the cupcakes then so I did that and then went and did a little bit of shopping.

It was really so good to be able to experience hosting the Finn girls and I'm sure everyone who hosted someone was blessed by it.  I would so do it again in a heartbeat.

It is a bit ironic that I was a bit hesitant about hosting them, and really selfish on my part.  I truly would not trade that experience for anything.  I would encourage others to host people.  To have that experience.  I have regrets about the times when the girls were here, that I didn't get to know them better.  That I held myself back so much.  As soon as they were gone, I wished I would've asked them this and this and this.  Wondering about their lives.

When they were gone, it was like such a hit back to reality.  Like bammm!  The fun, the blessed times, done.  I know life moves on.  And really, the fun and blessed times weren't done.  They were just different.  Things change.  We move on.  But the memories are there.  Unchanging.

"Midnight Sun, Kuopio, Finland"

But now, I truly wish to go to Finland.  To Scandinavia.  I've always thought it would be cool to go there.  Now, I know I would really want to.  And I hope and wish and dream.  Of a time maybe I can go there.  Maybe, someday, I will be able to go.  And if not, well, I know God has a plan for me.  Whatever that plan is, I simply need to be content.  To seek His will.  His way.  But right now, I know I can't go.  Right now,  I need to find a job.  And to be content with the way things are.

And now I will quit writing before my post gets even longer.  Simply filled with writing.  Have a wonderful day!

Days 9, 10, 11, & 12 w/ Our Finn Girls: Conventions

Day 9:  Thursday.  The first "official" day of Conventions.  Held at the Skyview High School.  They have a lovely auditorium where the services are held.  Services at 10:00, 2:00, & 5:00 with food and visiting between services.  Days of being blessed by the fellowship and God's word.  After the evening service we went up to James and Leah's for the youth gatherings.  Volleyball.  Singing.  Listening.  Food.  Visiting.  More fun and blessed times.

Church Service

(Picture credit goes to the Foreign Mission Facebook page.)

Day 10:  Friday.  Read day 9.  Really, that could pretty much sum up every day of Conventions.  We were truly blessed.

Youth Gathering (I've been hearing there was like 600 or so young people there!)

(Picture credit goes to Vivian Walikainen from Facebook)

Day 11:  Saturday.  We all ended up sleeping in during the morning service.  Us girls headed to Uncle D's for lunch and then to church for afternoon and evening services.  Then to the youth gathering in the evening.

Day 12:  Sunday.  More church.  Youth gathering.  Thankful for a slightly later curfew.  :)

Have a wonderful day and be blessed!

Day 8 w/ Our Finn Girls: Bus Ride, Shopping, & More

Wednesday.  In the morning we had a continental breakfast from the motel.  Then on the bus driving.  Errr .. riding.  We went to the Woodburn Outlets and were there shopping for several hours . . . a few hours too long.  Don't get me wrong . . . it's not that I don't like shopping, just with the shops they had there I didn't really find anything!  Except a pair of Nike's that I wanted ... well, that I still want from the Nike Outlet.  And . . . on some of the different Finn girls' blogs I've seen that several of them purchased the sames ones I wanted when they were out here!!

Umm . . .the only picture I took that day . . . with my phone! :)

 Oh well though . . .  Anyways, they don't have very many choices for lunch their either besides Subway, so we got that for lunch. :(  Then back on the bus to go back home after a wonderful trip!  Back to the church we went.  From there we headed home for a couple hours  . . . and then we headed back to church for the first service of Conventions that evening.  Coffee after church and then we all headed to Rick & Kathy's for volleyball and another enjoyable evening!

Crock Pot Creamy Italian Chicken Recipe

A delicious and simple meal.  Simply throw everything in the crock pot and cook it for several hours, shred the chicken, and it's done.  Then boil some pasta real quick and your supper's ready! 

Crock Pot Creamy Italian Chicken

2 lbs. chicken - breasts or tenderloins

1/3 cup water

1 packet Good Seasons Italian dressing (dry)

1 can cream of chicken soup

8 oz cream cheese

Place the chicken in the bottom of the crock pot.  Pour water over top.  Sprinkle on the Italian dressing.  Add the cream of chicken soup.  Cube the cream cheese and set over top.  Cook for 5-6 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high.  Shred chicken and serve over bow tie pasta.

And it's as simple as that.  Enjoy!

Hope you all have a wonderful day!