Mother dear I love you so!

Happy Birthday Mom! I hope you have an awesome day! We Love you!

Cuisine a la Harvill

Since moving from Phoenix, we have picked up a few new dinner ideas. One from my mom, one from Aunt Denice, and one from Aunt Irenie. Upon moving to Boise, I started making these three meals for dinner, and it left me wondering what we ever had for dinner in Phoenix. ( I'm thinking we had lots of things like kraft mac, and frozen pizzas-two things I could live the rest of my life without...) Especially in the last month or so we were there, I remember things like cold cereal and ice cream. I've decided to write posts about these new-to-our family meals, and share them with you. If you have any other new ideas for us, we would love to hear them!

The first dish I will feature is one that my mom made for us, one of the first nights we were back. We like to call them Chicken Fajitas. I love this dish, because it allows so much creative freedom. You can use whatever you want, and however much of it that you want! It might not be the same every time, but it always tastes yummy.

Here is what you need:

These ingredients are based on the portions for Brandon and I (we always have a little leftover)

1/2 can black beans 

1.5-2 chicken breasts

1/2 onion, chopped

1 cup frozen sweet corn

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Seasoning of some kind ( we like to use McCormick's Grill Mates Montreal Chicken)

Tortillas

Cheese

Start by dicing your chicken, toss with 1 Tbsp of oil and seasonings, set aside to marinate.

Then chop your onions (any way you like them) and toss with the other Tbsp of oil.

Sauté them until they are soft and starting to brown.

Add your chicken, cook until chicken pieces are at least 165 degrees.

Add the black beans and corn, and heat until warm.

Serve in a tortilla with sour cream, cheese, lettuce, salsa-and whatever else you might want!

I asked Brandon to share his Taco Bell skills in burrito rolling:

First take two sides and bring them to the middle, narrow at one end and wide at the other.

Pinch the sides down and fold the narrow end toward the wide end.

Press the narrow end in and pull toward you

Fold the outside ends toward the middle and roll!

Et Voila! (Brandon taught me this before we were married, and I still haven't mastered it-so don't feel bad if you don't get it right the first time.)

I hope you enjoy, if you try it let me know how it worked, and don't forget to share one of your favorites!

Vancouver British Columbia Temple

Brandon and I attended the Open House on April 16th 2010

Vancouver British Columbia Temple

131st Operating Temple of the Church

Dedicated May 2nd 2010

Dedicated by President Thomas S. Monson

Exterior is Brazilian Granite

Located in Langley, British Columbia, Canada

It is the 7th operating Temple in Canada

Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary...

Last week my flowers finally died, so I pulled them up and planted some onion starts that my grandma gave me. I was worried they wouldn't come up (I don't exactly have what you would call a green thumb) but when I went out the other day, this is what I saw!

I will post more pictures as they grow (if they grow that is...) mostly for my own sake, but I'm proud of my miniature garden!

Homemade Cards

Here are my first two homemade cards! I know they are very plain and simple, but I just up and decided I would try my hand at card making. I also just used things that I had in my collection, and with the addition of a few things, I think I could have a lot of fun! Can't wait to experiment and show you more!

This one is destined to be a Thank You card

And if this one ever makes it out of my house, it will probably be a baby boy card.

Willkomen!

Last Sunday I got to see my friend Sherry, who was visiting Othello from Switzerland. She was an exchange student my senior year and we sat next to each other in French. It was so good to see her, I love talking to her and learning new things about foreign countries. Hopefully we will get to visit her in the next few years! Thanks for coming Sher! Ich Liebe Dich!!!

"Should have known, you were temptation..."

Did I just eat 3/4 bag of buttery popcorn? Really? Shoot.

It all started a few weeks ago when Aunt Irenie gave me a costco box of Orville Redenbacher's. Upon arriving home I buried it in the bottom of our storage closet, outside, behind a locked door. There it stayed all this time, not bothering me at all.

Then today happened. Brandon was in the closet digging our goggles out and says, hey look popcorn! I said, "please, please leave it out there, it's not hurting anything." But he didn't listen. He put it on the kitchen counter. The clean (read: empty) counter. I stared at it all day long. And finally broke when we got back from our walk.

I had the munchies, and popcorn is such a nice snack...and well, I succumbed to it's beckoning. That's not it. This weekend (where I successfully ignored multiple bags of popcorn) I had rootbeer. You know that delicious sugary mess that comes in a can? It's been months, maybe a year or more even, since I've had (and finished) my own can of pop. I also had half a bottle of Izze blackberry soda. Sparkling, tasty, citric acid in a bottle.
(I blame you Levi and Clare)

Please excuse me while I go floss the popcorn kernels out of my molars, oh and swallow a bottle of antihistamines.

4th of July Weekend

This year we made the trip back to Othello for the 4th. The whole family was there and we had such a blast! Friday we hung out and played Just Dance on the Wii-it was super fun and a major workout, my calves were stiff the whole weekend! :) Saturday we up got and made it to the parade, it was fun to watch our niece Anna, and help catch candy for her. Later we walked to the park to watch Brit clog on the rickety old flat bed (aka stage). She always does a good job! We hung out at the park for a while and then made it back home to have a picnic. Levi, Clare, Chad and Danielle all came out to join us. The boys played some soccer in the field, and we had a bbq. Sunday we went to church, and then hung out at home and played some more Wii. Everybody stayed 'till Monday morning, it was sad to go! Enjoy some pics!

Anna in her 4th of July outfit

At the parade

The Whole Family!

Heber-Beber :)

Cute Danielle

Chad and Hayden

Clare bear

ReegBeeg

Anna getting a massage, she loved it!

Lucy sad to leave Grandma's

Portland Oregon Temple

Brandon and I visited the Portland Temple in December 2009

Portland Oregon Temple

42nd Operating Temple of the Church

Dedicated August 19th-21st 1989
Dedicated by President Gordon B. Hinckley
Located in Lake Oswego, Oregon
Exterior is White Marble and Slate
The Temple is built on land that was originally destined to be a Church College

Reminiscing

4 years ago today, Brandon and I were on our way to Moses Lake to "hang out" (aka our first date) We spent a nice sunny day at the aquatic center, where we raced down the slides and gagged over fat man in patriotic boy shorts, swallowed a gallon of chlorinated water, and swam till our eyes stung. We then went to see Superman Returns, and finished our date at Dairy Queen eating yummy blizzards and wishing we were brave enough to hold each other's hands :D I can hardly believe that it was 4 years ago! Although in some ways it seems like so much more. Here's to 4 years and 4 million more babe! ;)