Summer 'Splorin

Gittin' a lil' bit warmer in these parts. Reckon I'd best be doin' some 'splorin in them hills. But try as I may, them hills always be gittin' the best o' me. Weren't more than thirty seconds out of ma' car 'fore the mountain toppled me helter skelter in the biggest, dirtiest, overflowed crick 'round here.



















Round two versus the mountain, and the special forces were deployed to sap my strength.

Round two ended in a decoy trail that was flooded to the gills.

Round three was saved by Krystal's homemade picnic placemats.

There's more than one way to get across the flooded plains.

Smores are smore better with jumbo marshmallows.

Round three ended with a lively frolic across the plains of flowers. Guess you couldn't see the bunnies and squirrels prancing with us in the picture.

New Car

Sooo.. We got a new car! Mom went on the hunt and found us a good one for a good price. It is fun and we are really enjoying it. Ethan says its a star wars car and Yoda rides in it. And Krystal likes driving it because it makes her feel cute!

ZOO 2011

Here are just a few random pictures off our camera!






Thanks Riley Alison Ethan and Sadie for coming with us to the Zoo!

Green Curry

1-2 T oil
1/3 C Green Curry paste
2-4 Chicken breast, pork, or steaks
1 can of coconut milk about 14 fl oz
3-4 Tomatillos cut into fourths
1-2 Large Carrots peeled and cut thin. (green peppers and onions you can add as well)
1T. fish sauce
1 t sugar
2-3 Thai chilies seeds removed.
Small handful of sweet basil leaves
But oil and curry paste in a pot and stir while stove is on medium heat, cook until you smell the curry. Add a little coconut milk then add the meat. Cook meat until meat is done then add the rest of the coconut milk, tomatillos, and carrots. Let boil until the carrots are tender about 10 min. add Fish sauce and sugar. Stir and let simmer for about 1 min. add basil and chilies cover and let it simmer for a few min. Serve with rice.

Nam Tok (Waterfall Pork)

(This is a Eastern Dish, So its a little different then the kind of dish then you would see at most Thai restaurants)

First you will need some Khaw Kuah. On a flat cookie sheet sized pan with sides, spread out a single layer of jasmine rice

(you don’t need a lot just enough for 2 T of rice smashed) put in oven at 350 degrees and roast until brown. about 15 to 20 mins. (you will need to stir occasionally so it will brown evenly) remove from oven and let cool. Smash rice with a pistel and bowl or put it through the food processor. MAGIC BULLET is the best thing we have found! (It should look like chunky flour.) Khaw Kuah will saves in fridge well. Place in a glass jar with a lid.

Dish:
1 lean med sized pork roast or 2 lean flank steaks. (This recipe is good to use up pork or beef leftovers)
2 T. fish sauce
3 limes squeezed for juice (lemon Juice will work, just something sour)
2 heaping T for khaw Kuah
2 heaping t. dried and smashed chilies you can buy ready to use
½ C red onions
½ C scallions
¼ C cilantro cut up
1/4 C. chicken broth (you can just use water)

Brown meat slightly, remove from pan and cut into very thin 1 inch pieces. (Cut leftovers into same size) Brown meat until it’s done over med or med high heat with the chicken broth until done. Add one at a time and stir in lime juice, khaw khuah, chilies, fish sauce, red onions, cilantro, and scallions. Stir all until mixed well about 45 sec. Pour in serving dish and serve with sticky rice.

Sticky Rice

You will need to go to an Oriental Market and get some sticky “Thai gluttinous” rice. You also need a steamer or a special basket you can also get at a Thai market or I got a steamer at Kitchen Needs.



Pre soak rice for about 3 hours. There should be about 1/3 more water then rice. When it has soaked enough you should be able to bite through a grain easily.


After soaking the rice you will want to strain out the water. If you have a steamer place Cheese Cloth (available at most grocery stores) down on the steamer bottom. Spread the prepared rice on top. (The cheese cloth is only there so that your rice doesnt fall in the cracks) A Thai basket won't need the cheese cloth because its woven tight enough) The pot of water underneath the steamer needs to maintain a Rapid BOIL, steaming the rice for about 30- 45 min. depending on how much rice you are cooking. The rice will go from white to a clear (translucent) color. Also it will have the ability to clump together easily.

After the Rice is done, dump rice into a bowl, remove cheese cloth and stir so the rice will release the steam. Other wise your rice will go sticky.

Bangkok Basil

Bangkok Basil

2-3 T oil

4-5 cloves of garlic

3-4 Thai chilies (as hot as you want)or 1 T of crushed Dried Chilies.

½ lb of meat (chicken pork or beef) cut into 1” strips.

2 T oyster Sauce

1C vegetables (broccoli, green and red bell peppers, carrots, snap peas, green onions… Etc...)

1 t sugar

1 T fish sauce/ soy sauce

Small handful of holy basil leaves.

Put garlic peppers and oil in a pan and sauté until garlic turns yellow add the meat and sauté until meat is done. Add Oyster sauce, vegetables, sugar, and fish sauce or soy sauce. Simmer until the vegetables are slightly tender. Add basil leaves stir for 1 min. Serve with Jasmine rice.

Hotter than lava

We had a great weekend getaway at Lava Hot Springs complete with Thai food from the funny people from Thailand. I'm not sure why people actually sit in the 1500342 degree water, because after a few minutes of my insides cooking, I passed out and had to be drug to safety by the locals who I'm pretty sure drink lava anyways. We stopped by the Niter ice caves on the way home and got some cool sparkly pictures of the ice in there.

Happy New Year!

Wow the year is up. And what a year it was! Full of great family momments that we will never forget, new family members, checking off a bucket list of our last while in Utah, a Happy Graduation, new Jobs, new callings, new hobbies, and well you know how its been. I am Pleased to annouce that we Fulfilled our New Years Resolution from last year we had NO more Kidney stones, no broken bones, or any other expensive hospital visits!
We also found out where we are going for the next couple of years. Its great to have a blog to be able to look back at the past year to remember how great it was!










Some of the Fun family Trips!!


Look how cute they are!!


New Baby Sadie! :)


Big Accomplishments!


(my goofball brother in Russia, He had his 1 year Mark!)
Thank you EVERYONE FOR the wonderful year it was been!!! WE LOVE YOU ALL!!!

This Coming year we want to Pay off DEBT, move safely to Memphis and get settled. And be back to visit family for Christmas!!

Christmas songs are stuck in our heads....

....because we decorated for CHRISTMAS!!



I had a lot of fun Making Christmas Decorations this year. Here are some of them:


Our Wii inspired Christmas ornanents



Michael said the Red one makes you grow bigger and the Green ones give you an Extra Life

We just found out we were Just Kidding!

Southern College of Optometery has Awarded Michael a Great Scholarship!!! We where sort of having a little bit of struggles with the School in Oregon. Yesterday when I Came home from helping with the Primary Program Pratice(oh yeah by the way we teach primary now) Michael told me the good news! It was Kindof like all our worries Flew out the Window...
Now let me tell you about it!
We would probably live in Southaven MS. (20 min from Memphis) about 45,395 people.
There is a Nice lake not too Far away called Arkabutla Lake

about 15 minutes away is Graceland, Where you can eat a Fried Peanut butter and Banana Sandwhichs (which I guess is Elvis's Favorite Food)

According to Wikipedia "Graceland has become the second most-visited private home in America with over 600,000 visitors a year; only the White House has more visitors per year.[5]"

Downtown Memphis and the Great Mississippi River!


We could take a strole down Beale Street! Home of the Blues


Other great things about Memphis is...
The Peabody Hotel
Shopping
Close to Nashville, Little Rock, and Huntsville (A new part of the Country we have never been too)
There is more, however I have never been there. So we will have to find out together. But there is one thing that I am really excited for and that is....
MEMPHIS BBQ!

Halloween

(Pumpkin Craft night!)
(http://theadventuresofroryandjess.blogspot.com/2010/10/paper-pumpkin-tutorial.html)
At work we had a Halloween Party. We all dressed up like Harry Potter Characters! It was a blast. We made ButterBeer and handed out Berny Botts every flavor beans. We also had chocolate wands and Vampire Blood Soup!

(Tha Haunted Salad bar)
I Dressed up like Luna Lovegood. I forgot to take a picture before work when I looked good and wasnt tired after a long day, so you get a picture or me afterwards. I made Raddish Earings and a Ravenclaw Patch.


Me and Michael had a good night staying home and Eating candy we bought for trick or treaters that never came lol