Happy Fall Ya'll!

Happy Fall Ya'll.... I just wanted to say that. I think its funny.

It is finally here FOR REAL! Pumpkins are starting to appear by doorsteps, and you can now set out your fall decorations without me silently making fun of you.  Personally, I think people get a little 'gun ho' about the whole Autumn season. I LOVE the Fall, but I cannot stand starting it too early. People were so excited to wear their sweaters, but in the afternoon it was still close to 80 degrees. Just chill people, the chilly fall weather will get here, just usually not until after September.
 Growing up, I was told that Autumn was MY season. The coordinating colors compliment my copper hair and pale skin perfectly. Now that it is finally October, bring out the boots, sweaters, and pumpkins. It seems that Fall comes with the best outfits, recipes, and crafts.

We made some pumpkin chocolate chip bread to celebrate this past week. We followed this recipe and it did not disappoint!

 Anything pumpkin flavored just screams Autumn! I really want to try this pumpkin flavored creamer in hot chocolate here soon when the nights get even colder!

OOOoooo!! and look at these black dipped caramel apples!

Sometimes I wished I loved to cook and bake. I want to create beautiful/fun things, but I dislike being in the hot kitchen and cleaning up my mess afterwards. It is stressful to cook things just knowing the mess that I am creating. Somebody should just bake my cakes for me, I will do the decorating.

Now on to the crafts!

I found a cute tutorial to create some leaf covered jars. Here are mine. In the evening they are beautiful because I put a candle in the jars and the autumn colors are accented.

 I just used dollar store leaves, modge podge, and jars for the project. Super easy and super cheap.

My favorite creation as of late is my Halloween wreath. I didn't want your typically orange and black wreath with the witches shoes sticking out. I went with purple, and a touch of orange to brighten it up.

 I don't really like 'scary' Halloween, but I didn't want some witch or ghost wildly grinning at me either in this project. This wreath did it perfectly for me though. The small accent "trick or treat" was spooky enough, and adding some dollar store flowers, and ribbon made the wreath 'sophisticatedly wicked', instead of gory and scary. Don't mind my nasty door. Someday my door will be beautiful... (someday is a long ways off)

And now of course, a tribute to my bestie, Madison. She is now 10 months, crawls, pulls up on everything, and LOVES to jump in her crib. She goes to sleep all festive in her fox pajamas! Poor girl may not get a costume this year because the only event we would wear it to is the ward party, which Jordan will be gone at a conference for. It doesn't seem worth the work to create a costume for nothing.

 
 The video isn't anything special, I just wanted to show off her cute Fall pajamas. My baby is the best though.

Elder Manner is Home

My brother, Kimball, came home from his LDS mission this past week. I traveled down for the week to experience the whole occasion. In preparation we made posters, blew up balloons, and made sure everything was ready for him to come home.

It was so fun to pick him up from the airport, and get to talk to him fresh off his mission. Here are some pictures from the Happy Happy Day!

Most of the Manner Clan at the airport. We are just missing Benson, who is serving a mission in Germany and his twin Abilee who is at BYU and couldn't take the week off of school.

Meeting Madi for the first time.

Look at the awesome sign my cousin Brooke and I made. Don't point out the mistake, we are already upset as it is.

Look at all those future Elder Manners!!!!! We love missionaries.

Our current Elder Manner

Proud Parents

Painting With Pudding

This past week was rainy, but we stayed inside and did some pudding painting. I only had instant pistachio pudding, so don't mind the green color. I taped plastic garbage bags to the table, made some pudding, and let her go to town.

I absolutely have loved this age. Madison interacts so much more and actually pays attention when we are talking to her or teaching her a new trick. She can finally clap her hands intentionally, wave, and give high fives!!! I have signed pretty consistently with her since she was born, however, still no glimpses of her attempting. We will be patient and just see what happens I guess.

My favorite trick however, is that she can throw a ball back and forth. I shared this video on Instagram, but I will just post it here too. I love this and this little girl loves her Dad and will do anything for him.

Madison is the Fairest of Them All!

Madison loves the mirror as all babies and beautiful girls usually do. :)  One morning I got my full length mirror, set it against the couch and watched what she did. 
She was pretty animated and found her 'perfect' playmate. This playmate did anything she wanted her to do. They talked, clapped, waved, screamed, and threw toys together. The little princess in the mirror didn't even attempt to take Madison's toys away from her. Those friends are rare. You can't really ask for a better playmate.

  I know we are lacking a bow! Usually we are better. 

My Baby Can Cook!

Being the mother of a 9 month old can become a bit mundane. I can only take singing Wheels on the Bus for so long, along with other alike activities. Everyday I am always looking for something a bit different to do, and lately I have realized that these 'different' activities revolve around my interests and hobbies. If I am bored I plan in shopping trips, crafts, and friend visits. While this is okay, I realized that there are small things I can plan that benefit Madison directly.

 Every Monday I try to make a little treat for Family Home Evening refreshments. Usually Madi is napping or just playing independently on the floor. (or just whining/complaining at my feet.) Yesterday, Madi helped me bake cookies. I got this idea from a neighbor and loved it.

Don't get the wrong idea though, Madi was not measuring and pouring sugar into the mixer, rolling the cookie dough, or even cracking eggs. We called it cooking, however, she was busily shaking wooden spoons, destroying my orderly measuring cups, and eating flour. Hopefully as she gets older she can start pouring ingredients. For now, she was thrilled to be apart of the process and playing with 'Mommy's toys.'

Afterwards, I just took stripped off her clothes and ran her legs and arms through the sink. She even got to try a cookie when they cooled.

Tomatillos In My Salsa

It is harvest time. This is the time that I love my garden the most. Over the course of the summer we have picked peas, basil, onions, lettuce, kale, cherry tomatoes, and even a cantaloupe. We have canned tomatoes and are planning on canning even more! 

One item in our garden that I especially love are tomatillos. I use them in that wonderful Costa Vida ranch dressing and I even put some in my salsa. They came in a pack, so this year we planted 3 tomatillo plants. There is no way that I will be able to use that many tomatillos as they come. I didn't want that many to go to waste and I needed a way to store them.

Because I use pureed tomatillos when I put them in the ranch and the salsa, the most convenient way to store them seemed to puree them first and then freeze them.

First you need to pick the tomatillos when they are ripe. Tomatillos off the vine are bit smaller then at the store as with most things. Over these past weeks of picking the fruit I found that the best time to pick them is when the bottom wrap is split open and the wrapping is just barely starting to get a purple color.

Next you need peel the wrapping off the tomatillos, wash the sticky film off, cut the tomatillos in half, core them, and puree them. I just stick them in my ninja and it makes the fruit nice and smooth.

 

Last I poured about a cup and a half in a labeled freezer bag to store flat in the freezer. In one bag I stored about the amount that I would use in my salsa. This way I just take out the bag of frozen tomatillos to thaw for a couple of minutes and then throw in the salsa. 

It only takes a couple of minutes to get these stored and they last up to a year!

Also thought I would share the two recipes that I use tomatillos for. Tomatillos aren't a common ingredient, but Jordan says he can tell when I put too little of them in my salsa. 

I use THIS recipe for the Costa Vida/Cafe Rio Ranch sauce.

I have grown up with the following salsa recipe and it is just packed with vegetables and fruit. I don't even add salt or a chili powder. I love the fresh taste, but it isn't even close to bland. However, depending on the quality of your produce the quality of the salsa can vary a bit. Hint: buy quality produce!! 

Obviously anything fresh out of the garden is best including tomatoes. Just be sure to blanch the skins before throwing them into the salsa. The skins do not blend super well. 

Salsa Recipe

Ingredients:

3 green onions

1 bunch of cilantro

3-4 tomatillos

3 garlic cloves

1-2 Jalapenos (The amount depends on how hot you like your salsa, I use one and a half. Also the darker the jalapeno the more spicy I have found it to be.)

4-5 14 oz cans of diced tomatoes

2 limes

 

Use a food processor or high quality blender and chop/puree the onions, cilantro, tomatillos, jalapenos, garlic, and tomatoes. ( I have to do it in 2-3 different shifts to make it fit.) Squeeze limes into salsa and stir.

Enjoy!!

I Am Married to a Champion..... finally

After close to 6 years at BYU, almost two degrees, and 18 different seasons of BYU Intramural Sports, Jordan finally earned his 'Intramural Champion Shirt'!!!

This past Summer term Jordan played on a Flag Football team. This team, LITERALLY, got smoked every game. However, come tournament time, they pulled it together. Each game in the tournament was close, and making it to the championship game was almost surreal.

Probably the most intense game of my life.
Down by 5 points.
They caught a long pass, touch down in the final seconds of the game.
The team pulled out a win and called themselves CHAMPIONS!