Family Christmas Eve Party

Such a fun night


So every year we get together with the Cleggs on Christmas Eve and have a party. We eat yummy food and play games. This year we decided to have a ugly sweater contest. Everyone needed to show up in the ugliest thing that they could find. Here are a few of the sweaters!! Mitch and I actually found ours at ROSS. Can you believe we found matching ones? They are awful!

Here are Liz and Karl

Only part of us did the crazy faces... Sorry front row, you all look beautiful

Katie and Maddie

Ken and JoAnn

Uncle Ken and Robbie, the sweater contest winner!!!

Andrew and Irene

David and Linda.... mom and dad

Michelle and Katie Looking very nice

Robbie the Winner

Chris and Ally

I got tagged

Okay, So I didnt realize that I was tagged for this photo until tonight! Sorry VAL!!
So here is what you do. You are supposed to go to your pictures file and post the 4th picture in your 4th file. This is such a scary picture but I am playing along. :)

So I am going to tag JoAnn, Liz and Andrea
Have fun!!

Family Bowling and Lights at Temple Square

Morgan and Emily stickin out their tongues.. Sorry, I told them to

My Mom and Dad, the best bowlers every single time.

Me and Katie. She is so dang cute

My golden girls

Nice face Brett

Audrey and Brett

Jared, Kelli, Brett and Audge

Andrew and Irene

This was such a fun night. We started out bowling and then went and saw the lights at Temple Square.

This one is yummo

So we made steak skewers two nights ago and they were so good! I just had to post the recipe!! We used Tri-tip roast instead though and cut it into cubes. Try it, it is so good!

10 (7-inch) bamboo skewers
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 garlic cloves, forced through a garlic press
2 tablespoons Asian (toasted) sesame oil
2 teaspoons minced fresh peeled gingerroot
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, lightly toasted
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 1/2 pounds boneless shell steak, cut into 1-inch cubes
16 scallions, trimmed
Soak bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, garlic, oil, gingerroot, sugar, vinegar, sesame seeds, and pepper. Thread the steak cubes loosely onto 8 of the skewers and thread the remaining skewers crosswise through the middle of each scallion so that the scallions stand parallel to one another. Put the beef and scallion kebabs in a shallow dish just large enough to hold them, pour the marinade over them, coating them well, and let the kebabs marinate, chilled, turning them frequently, for 25 minutes.
Grill the kebabs on an oiled rack set about 6 inches over glowing coals, turning them, for 10 minutes. Alternatively, the kebabs may be broiled under a preheated broiler about 4 inches from the heat in the same manner.) Remove the beef and scallions from skewers before serving.

Thanksgiving day

Here is Mardene in my moms Formal Front Room. Mardene has been like a grandma to us since Grandma Hall died when we were so little. We love you deenie!!!

Don't you think my mom is creative. She got sugar ice cream cones and steamed them till they were a little flexible. She bent them and filled them with candy to make little cornucopia's

This is my mom getting ready for everyone to come. Sorry Jo, I stole your pictures because my camera died.

This is one of my favorite rooms at my moms house. Its always looks perfect!

"Our lives are not determined by what happens to us, but how we react to what happens; not by what life brings to us, but by the attitude we bring to life. A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events and outcomes. It is a catalyst...a spark that creates extraordinary results."

I didnt forget him!

So I just realized that the picture of Mitchie that I had posted went to the wrong spot. It should have been with the rest of my family! Sorry Mitchie!

This has been quite a year. I am so grateful that I have gotten to know you better and that we have been able to be married. I love ya

my fun family

This is my dad with his crew. He has given so much time to IHC and it is neat to see how far he has gone with them! Im proud of you dad. He recently opened up the Intermountain Medical Center in Murray which was a 10 year project. Im glad that my dad always taught us to do our best and work hard.

This is my mom and Jeanne. Best witches in Fruit Heights!!

There is a store in our little town that had it's customer dress up as witches. My mom and her friend were so cute they actually made the paper!! Looking tough mom!

She is the most creative person that I know. Seriously she is always changing something. There is always a new can of paint somewhere in the house and it always looks incredible!

Audge and Brett came up for thanksgiving early dinner

Hunter's Favortie people in the world because they give him attention

My mom invited us up to her place today to celebrate an early Thanksgiving. Chris and Ally are going to her familys house and Audrey and Brett will be with the Colemans this year. So while dinner was cooking my mom asked Chris if he would take something to the neighbors house. The next thing we know, I see my dog on the scooter with Ally and Chris flying down the road. I ran outside and waited for them to come back because I thought it was so funny!

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
16 Tbs. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
12 oz. valentine chocolate chips*
Directions:
Preheat an oven to 350°F. Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Over a sheet of waxed paper, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter on medium-low speed until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add the brown and granulated sugars, increase the speed to medium and beat until slightly fluffy, about 1 minute, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the vanilla, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Reduce the speed to low, gradually add the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the chocolate chips. Drop the dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto the prepared pan, spacing the cookies about 2 inches apart. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to the rack and let cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough. Makes 36 cookies

So we just use semi sweet choc. chips instead of these colored ones but I swear these cookies turn out every single time!! I wont use anything else now... THEY ARE SO YUMMY

WHO sells Ecko watches??

Mitch wants a Ecko watch for Christmas but I dont know who sells them? I cant find them at Nordy's.... got any ideas?

One of my favorite Apple Desserts to make

Ingredients:
For the dough:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. sugar
16 Tbs. (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/3 to 1/2 cup ice water
For the filling:
2 lb. apples, such as Granny Smith or Jonagold, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 Tbs. cornstarch
1 egg, lightly beaten
Sugar for sprinkling
1/4 cup apricot jam
Lightly sweetened whipped cream for serving

To make the dough, put the flour, salt and sugar in a bowl. Put the butter in another bowl and place both bowls in the freezer for 10 minutes. Transfer the flour mixture to a food processor and pulse about 5 times to blend. Add the butter and pulse 15 to 20 times, until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 1/3 cup of the water and pulse twice. Squeeze the dough with your fingers; it should hold together but should not be sticky. If it is crumbly, add more water 1 Tbs. at a time, pulsing twice after each addition. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, gather into a ball and flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Place a baking sheet on the bottom rack of an oven. Position another rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Line a second baking sheet with a Silpat nonstick liner and spray with nonstick cooking spray. To make the filling, in a large bowl, stir together the apples, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and cornstarch. Set aside. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let stand for 5 minutes. Place the dough between 2 sheets of lightly floured waxed paper and roll out into a 12-inch round. Brush off the excess flour. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Arrange the apple filling in the center of the dough, mounding the fruit slightly and leaving a 2-inch border. Gently fold the edges of the dough over the apples, pleating loosely. Brush the dough with the beaten egg. Lightly sprinkle sugar over the apples. Bake until the crust is golden and the apples are tender, about 1 hour. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the galette cool completely, about 1 hour. Just before serving, in a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the jam. Brush the apples with the jam and let cool. Cut the galette into 8 slices and accompany each slice with a dollop of whipped cream. Serves 8.

To Maintain a Healthy Level of Insanity

1. At Lunch Time, Sit In Your Parked Car With Sunglasses on and point a Hair Dryer At Passing Cars. See If They Slow Down.

2. Page Yourself Over The Intercom.
Don't Disguise Your Voice !

3. Every Time Someone Asks You To Do Something, ask If They Want Fries with that.

4. Put Decaf In The Coffee Maker For 3 Weeks. Once Everyone has Gotten Over Their
Caffeine Addictions, Switch to Espresso.

5. In the Memo Field Of All Your Checks,
Write 'For Marijuana'

6. Finish All Your sentences with
'In Accordance With The Prophecy.'

7. Skip down the hall rather than Walk
and see how many looks you get.

8. Order a Diet Water whenever you go
out to eat, with a serious face.

9 . Specify That Your Drive-through Order Is 'To Go.'

10. Sing Along At The Opera.

11. Put Mosquito Netting Around Your Work Area and Play tropical Sounds All Day.

12. Five Days In Advance, Tell Your Friends You Can't Attend Their Party Because You have a headache.

13. When The Money Comes Out The ATM,
Scream 'I Won! I Won!'

14 . When Leaving the Zoo, Start Running towards the Parking lot, Yelling 'Run For Your Lives! They're Loose!'

15. Tell Your Children Over Dinner, 'Due To The Economy, We Are Going To Have To Let One Of You Go.'

Just a couple more! Thanks jo!!

BEST PARTY EVER!

So we threw a party together kind of last minute and it turned out to be one of the best ever! Everyone was required to dress up. I wasnt quite sure everyone would but everyone did!! I had forgotten my camera so I took these from other people at the party. If I can find more I will post them. IT was so much fun!! ROBBIE AND JENN

Grandma and Grandpa Baird

Kelli and Jared

The group at Jo's house

My cute gayish brother Chris and Rob (Just kiddin Chris)

Andrew and Irene

Lizbeth, maddie and cute sister in law Ally

The 3 witches!! So precious! Mom is that you??

FREEDOM!!!

So I had too many hours of PTO at Nordstrom so they are making me take off time.... I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH MYSELF!! Its been amazing!! I could get used to this really really fast I think! Saturday I spent with my Golden Girls, Michelle and Katie.. We tried to go bowling but for some reason I think everytime I go, I get worse and worse!! sad.... sad...
Sunday I didnt have anything to do so Mitchie request that I make my "chicken balls" aka Chicken roll ups, they turned out quite nice if I do say so myself (haha, whew something finally turned out that I make!!) . I also met my visiting teacher lenna from my ward.
Monday I came up to my moms with Mitch and we all had lunch together. Chris met up with us and we laughed and laughed! It was a lot of fun! Anyways, I still have a few more days of freedom left and I dont know what I will do!! It should be fun!!
Love ya'll

Mitch has a concert tonight at the Gallivan Center at about 7 Just thought I would let you know!!

I am so lucky

So my friend Andrea started this thing called Thankful Thursdays. She finds something every week to be thankful for. I am not dedicated enough to commit to once a week but it did get me thinking. I am so grateful for my family. They are the best people around. My brother and sister both found their perfect matches and I found my prince charming. Our parents have been very good examples to us and I think that we appreciate them more now than ever.

Chris and Ally! Future parents of my dog. I think that they like him more than we do... haha

Mitch with his buds in LA on a recent trip for Guitar Center.

Audge Podge and Brettney... AKA Audrey and Brett. They are always smiling! I love it

Mitch was the best surprise that came into my life. I am a different person now because of him. I love him with all of my heart!

My awesome parents who are the best examples ever!

These are my golden girl sista's... I LOVE U

This was part of my family who came over when Shane got home from Iraq. We love to throw parties any chance we get!

We got to the top of the mountain and usually you look like crap! We had so much dirt in our teeth and caked on our faces but we had fun doing it.

My cute mom is such a good sport!!

This is my sister and I. We are covered in DIRT!!

This is me and my mom and sister at the top of the mtn taking a break for a while. This was a emotional trip for me. We had just dropped my brother off at the MTC and found out my mom had a brain tumor. We decided to take this trip right before my mom's surgery.

My dad loves to take us up Farmington Canyon on the 4 wheelers! This is my dad and a pic looking out towards Layton and Ogden.