Happy Anniversary!

3 years ago today I married my best friend.  What a blissful wedding weekend it was.  We were married up in Fraser, CO outside of Winter Park.  

 It was a weekend full of family and friends, laughter and love.  All of my favorite things.  

The last three years have been amazing and I truly love my husband more every day.  What a  blessed life I live. 

~xo~ 

Just Around the Corner

Today, for the first time in a looonnnggg time, it felt like the beginning of fall.  It was misty and drizzling this morning with temperatures in the 50's.  The kind of morning that makes you wish you could stay in your PJ's all day, watch a movie, order Chinese food and just veg.  Then of course reality set in, I had to stop day-dreaming and get up and go to work.  However, it did get me excited.  Excited for what you ask? Well, Fall of course!! Hands down fall is my favorite season, there truly is not even a close second.

I love all things about fall.  The cooler temperatures, the leaves changing colors on all of the trees, the crispness in the air that is only found on a beautiful fall morning.  College football, College GameDay, hanging with my husband watching college football ALL DAY LONG on Saturdays.  Jeans, sweaters, scarves, jackets, cowboy boots-ooh I cannot forget my love for cowboy boots.  The rich oranges and reds of fall, Halloween, pumpkin spice lattes from Starbucks, pumpkin spice candles from Illuminations or Yankee Candle . It is no secret, I love it all-the list is never-ending.

As far as I am concerned fall could just go ahead and start today. Summer be gone (yup, I said it)! Sadly, the forcast for the rest of the week here in sunny Denver is in the 90's.  Oh well- the tease of fall this morning will have to do.  Hope y'all are having a great week. 

Fall in Napa October 2009

                                                                                   

Healthy Chinese Food!

Last night I made a delish dish that I thought I would share with all of you loyal readers (I think there are about 3 of you ;-) ). I got the recipe out of one of my treasured Betty Crocker Cookbooks and made a few tweaks to personalize it.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup of low sodium chicken broth (it doesn't call for low sodium-but it is my preference)
1 TBS of White Vinegar (I use Rice Vinegar to keep with the Asian theme!)
1 TBS of Corn Starch
1 TBS of sugar (I use Splenda)
2 TBS of low sodium Soy Sauce (it doesn't call for low sodium but again I prefer it)
1 glove of Garlic minced
1 tsp of Ginger ( I use a little extra because I like the ginger flavor)
1/4 tsp of Cayenne Pepper ( again, I use extra because I like it a little spicy!)
1 TBS of canola oil (I have been using sesame oil because I have it on hand and it adds a nice flavor)
1 pound chicken of chicken breasts (cut into small bite size pieces)
1 small red pepper diced
1/2 small green pepper diced (the original recipe only calls for one small red pepper but I like to up the veggie intake a bit, so I have added more peppers and celery.  You could add any veggies, however, I did try adding broccoli a few weeks back and I found it soaked up too much of the sauce)
2 to 3 celery stalks diced
3 to 4 green onions chopped-using both green and white parts
1/3 cup of peanuts

Start by mixing the chicken broth, vinegar, corn starch, sugar, soy sauce and cayenne pepper together in a small mixing bowl. 

At this point I like to have everything chopped up because the cooking time goes by quickly.

Heat a 12 inch skillet/wok on high heat and then add oil. Be sure to coat the bottom of the skillet completely.  Once heated add chicken, garlic and ginger and stir fry for about 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. 

Add the red pepper, green pepper, celery and about half of the onions and stir fry for about a minute.

Next add the sauce you mixed together in step one and cook for another minute or so until sauce thickens.  Add the peanuts and stir through completely. Throw the remaining green onions on top for garnish and voila-dinner on your table in less than 30 minutes!

I like to serve the Spicy Peanut Chicken over healthy brown rice to round out the meal. 

Spicy Peanut Chicken-photo from my Blackberry-excuse the poor quality!

Mangia! That means eat in Italian-not quite sure how to say it in Chinese ;)

Tomorrow is a New Day.....

I received a card from a good friend a few days ago with a quote that I thought was worth sharing.

~Finish everyday and be done with it.  You have done what you could, some blunders and absurdities crept in-forget them as soon as you can.

~Tomorrow is a new day.

~You shall begin it well and serenely, and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old mistakes and nonsense.
           
                  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

I tend to hold on to the mistakes, the blunders, the absurdities and the nonsense. I dwell on them, fret over them, replay each scenario in my head....over....and over....and over again. I am pretty sure that by holding on to all of that, it only hinders what I can do tomorrow, and the next day and the day after that.  Tomorrow is a new day, with a fresh start and a clean slate.  I am going to start taking advantage of that blessing. xo

Diaper Cake!

I did it! I got creative.  I made a diaper cake! A few weekends ago I co-hosted a baby shower for my dear friend Candace who is expecting her first baby in September. So of course I thought what better time to try something new then when you are planning a party and running out of time....sound like me? I think so!

So I forced asked Jason to go with me to Target to pick up all of my supplies, and let me tell you I was shocked-diapers are expensive!! To all my mama friends out there-yikes! I am kidding, but seriously, those diapers are pricey.  Jason asked if babies are actually as small as these ity, bity diapers we were buying.  I of course informed him, "no honey, they come out at about 15 pounds."   Wha???? "Yes babe, babies are teeny, tiny when they are born, and yes these diapers will fit Candace's new little one." So after our initial shock of the cost of diapers we moved on to the baby aisle of Target.  Whew, so many things to chose from.  I am pretty sure if I were having a new little baby I wouldn't be able to stop myself from buying all the cute little baby clothes, bibs, blankets, rattles, pacifiers, the list goes on and on.  I picked up the rest of my supplies and then had to make one last stop JoAnn's Fabrics.  For those of you who don't know me, I get a little bit creeped out a craft stores.  I don't know what it is, but I ALWAYS get a weird vibe from those places. If I could put the feeling into words I would, but I can't. Anyway Jason and I ran in, spent just enough time to pick out the ribbon I needed, and ran right back out.

We got home and I started getting crafty. I rubber banded diapers, I attached pacifiers, bibs and rattles, and I even hot glue gunned the ribbon (with a little help from my hubs).  Do you know what the strangest part about it was?  I actually enjoyed it! I see a lot more diaper cake makin' in my future.

The shower was lovely, and Candace and her little Birdie got some wonderful gifts.  We all cannot wait for the arrival of new baby Sturges.

The Diaper Cake!

Me, Jaime, Jane, Candace and Courtney

Going to the Chapel.....

Wait it goes a little more like this: Going to Antigua and she's gonna get married (on the beach)!! All our bags are packed-carry on to include bridesmaid dress and swimsuits-just in case our bags get delayed-because what else do you need, right?! I really didn't sleep much at all last night, as I am sure is apparent by my 5:00 am post :) I am just so excited for Kacey and Rossi's wedding in beautiful Antigua.  I have never been to the Carribbean, so I am really excited to get to see a new part of the world too!

Kacey and Rossi left this morning and arrive in Antigua around 3:00 with 8 bags in tow!  I guess the one thing you really don't think about when planning a destination wedding is that you have to bring EVERYTHING with you on an airplane-well at least I didn't think about that- haha.  We leave today to start the first leg of our trip-we are flying to Nashville to spend the night with Kate and Billy.  There we will meet up with Lance and Natalie (Rossi's sister and brother-in-law) and then early Wednesday morning we will head to Antigua.  By 3pm tomorrow I will be here --------> Antigua!

It's weird all I have running through my head is: "I've got my toes in the water, a** in the sand, not a worry in the world, a cold beer in my hand, Life is good today......life is good today! See you when we get back!!

4th of July Fun!

What a fun trip to the Lake! Ely, MN-more specifically Burntside Lake, is truly my favorite place on this Earth.  I know that there are places out there, even places I have been, that are beautiful, full of history, etc, etc, but for me nothing beats a few days on Stone Harbor.  We were able to make a 3 day weekend into a 5 day weekend, and we enjoyed every minute of it.  Jason and I got up there on Thursday night and joined my parents, Kate, Kacey and Rossi.  Billy was getting in on Friday.  As everyone knows, the lake is always more fun when family is up there with you.  So of course we were happy that Grandma, Uncle Mike and Aunt Bobbye, Shelly and Juan, Andrew and a friend, and ALLLLLL of Uncle Larry's family was up there to celebrate the 4th with us.  It was a great trip-which of course I documented well with about 300 pictures. 

Friday we spent relaxing and getting used to Lake time.  We swam, we sunned and we sauna'ed.  What could be better really? We also made a quick trip into town to get the necessities-more food than anyone could ever eat (and yet we managed to!) and a dozen a few cases of coors light.  It never ceases to amaze me just how much food and drink we go through at the lake.  

Saturday was a classic deck day.  Gorgeous blue skies, music playing up on the deck, ice cold beers and a game or two of squeak. 

Sunday was more of the same and we celebrated the 4th in style with our very own fireworks show.  Rossi stopped in Missouri and bought some amazing fireworks-they were like watching a "real" fireworks show.  Dad and Rossi went over to blueberry island and set them off over there.  Rossi left the show uninjured.  Dad on the other hand took a fire work to the face-he was fine-just a few burns on the cheek, lip and forehead.  Verdict-safety glasses next year!

Our last day was just as wonderful as the rest.  We spent about 2 hours of the afternoon cruising around the lake on a group boat ride.  We loaded up the yellow and white cobalts and Uncle Larry's wooden boat and set out.  It was so fun to be out on the water.  GREAT weekend!!! 

Just a few pics from the 300 pictures I took of our weekend at the lake!

Chance and Rossi enjoying the bluebird day

Me and Alison

Jason, CJ and Rylie-and Rylie's pink visor ;)

Kate, Billy and their kids-starting CJ on the Coors Light a little early I think!

Me and My Love

KJ and Auntie B

Deck Time

Rossi scaring the crap out of all the deck peeps

Group Shot

Me and Ryan

Kiddos

Love this picture of Katy and LJ

Group Jump

J and Billy

CALI!

Dad and Grandma

2 little kids and the biggest kid on the island 

That doesn't look safe

Miss Abby with glow necklaces on her head

Time for a little Sea Plane fun

Lookin Good

Heaven on Earth.

We are always so sad to leave and wish our trips up could last just a little longer.  Hopefully next year we can stay for 10 days instead of 5.  Hope yall had wonderful 4th of July weekends, just like we did.