I love food... I love blogs... I love food blogs

I'm a little obsessed with food blogs. Lately all I look at on the internet is food. I used to watch food network all the time, but now I've switched to looking up recipes on line. I've been alot more adventuress with recipes. It's a good thing. We don't always eat the same food now. Sometimes I try something that doesn't turn out very good. But today was a hit. I love to get lettuce wraps at PF Changs. I've made their recipe once with friends, but it was very time consuming with crazy ingredients. So, today I made some simple lettuce wraps that were soo good! They are from one of my very favorite blogs to search recipes called Picky Palate . Click here for the recipe. I highly suggest trying these! She is so talented. Her food all sounds amazing and I love her pictures!

Then for dessert I wanted chocolate cookies with peanut butter chips. I had some peanut butter chips that I've been wanting to use. I went to the trusty allrecipes.com and made the recipe with the best ratings. They turned out fantastic! mmm... I could eat them all. And the batter is just as good or better!
(Not my picture. Love google images.)

Recommendations Please

I've been reading this blog for a while now A Year of CrockPotting. She has a goal to use her crockpot everyday for this year. She's done it so far. I think it's amazing and her food sounds so yummy! I love the idea of being able to throw everything in the crockpot and let it cook without worrying about it. Food always tastes so moist and delicious when made in a crockpot. I have a whole list of crockpot recipes to try. So why haven't I actually tried on of these recipes yet... I don't have a crockpot! I've been looking into getting one and have no idea what to get. Does it even matter which one? Anyone have one that they would recommend?

I am so happy!

Yay! Hip hip horray! Jocelyn takes a bottle!!

We did it. We finally got her to take a bottle yesterday. She has now only had the bottle since yesterday morning and takes it pretty good. Sometimes she still puts up a little fight, but overall takes it good. We are going to California in September and she needed to take one so we could leave her with my mom. I am so happy!

5 months!

I can't believe it Jocelyn is 5 months old this week! We love her so much!

• She can now find her hairbow and pull it down to suck on. This makes me sad, Casey thinks it's funny.
• She reaches for me and has become a little bit too attached. She gets separation sadness when I leave her.
• She can sit for a little while by herself.
• In the morning she talks and makes high squeals but no crying
  
• She loves books
• Is eating rice cereal, as you can see below, she's still deciding if she likes it.
• She laughs really hard and especially loves to talk and laugh at the top of Casey's head. Weird, I know.
  
• She loves to put the blanket over her face.
  
• Is getting more hair- this is a very happy thing.
• Has lots and lots of rolls. She is so chubby and we love it.
  

Trying rice cereal for the first time.

Story time with daddy

Officially Delicious

I made chicken cordon bleu last night for dinner! I'm so proud of myself and it was so tasty! Casey loves chicken cordon bleu and I've been wanting to try it for a while. Thanks to allrecipes.com (if you haven't used it you need to. It will even calculate the ingredients for how many servings you want), I found a great recipe with a few minor adjustments. I am not a great cook and I don't even like to cook, but this recipe was super simple and officially delicious. Give it a try! Added bonus, pounding the chicken gives you a good arm workout. :-)

Chicken Cordon Bleu II

Ingredients- Serves 6

• 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 6 slices Swiss cheese
• 6 slices ham
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (I used seasoned bread crumbs)
  
• 1 teaspoon paprika (I didn't use this)
  
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (I used chicken broth)
  
• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

DIRECTIONS

1. Pound chicken breasts if they are too thick. (I did until they were about 1/2" thick) Place a cheese and ham slice on each breast within 1/2 inch of the edges. Fold the edges of the chicken over the filling, and secure with toothpicks. Mix the flour and paprika in a small bowl, and coat the chicken pieces. (I brushed with egg, then rolled in seasoned bread crumbs)
   
2. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the chicken until browned on all sides. Add the wine and bouillon. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.
3. Remove the toothpicks, and transfer the breasts to a warm platter. Blend the cornstarch with the cream in a small bowl, and whisk slowly into the skillet. Cook, stirring until thickened, and pour over the chicken. Serve warm

My second and third steps went like this:

2. Brown the chicken in butter on both sides then put in oven at 350' for 20 min or until juices run clear.
3. Meanwhile, whisk the cream, chicken broth, bouillon, and cornstarch then simmer for 10 min alone stirring often. Spoon over chicken. (I also used double the amount of sauce it called for)

Thankful Thursday

I've been wanting to do this for a while now, but I haven't ever remembered to do it on a Thursday until now. Here's what I am thankful for this past week:

1. Good Health. I asked Casey what he was grateful for and this is what he said. He hasn't always had good health so he knows from experience how much of a blessing it is to have good health. We have both been especially grateful for Jocelyn's health. She hasn't gotten sick since she's been born and she's been growing and developing as she should. She had her 4 month doctor appointment today (a couple weeks late) and everything is looking good.
2. Laughter. When my day isn't going as planned, when I've been crammed in the house all day with a crying baby, when the house is a mess, when I have nothing to wear, when I'm hungry (I get unhappy when I'm hungry) or when I'm just not in a good mood all I need is a good laugh and then everything is okay again. I am so happy that I found a hubby that loves to joke, tease, and laugh ALOT! I usually try to resist it at first, but he can always get a smile out of me. We love laughing! Lately we've been looking up funny things on youtube just to have a good laugh. Thanks to a friend in my ward I laughed forever watching this clip. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwMj3PJDxuo
3. Dates. Of course with my Caseo. I love them! I don't think I ever fully appreciated dating him after we were married until our little Jocelyn came along. I look forward to our weekly dates and count down the hours until we get to have our little break from everyday life. It doesn't matter what we do, I love it! I am so thankful for wonderful family who very willingly take Jocelyn off our hands for a few hours each week.
   

Updates of Us!

24th of July: We spent the day with Casey's family. I got so lucky with inlaws. They are all so fun to be around! We have a blast with them. We started the day out going to the parade in Spanish Fork. They shot the cannon off right in front of us, but Jocelyn didn't seem to even notice. By the end of the parade she was exhausted and fell asleep on daddy. After the parade we hung around Spanish Fork for lunch and the craft booths. I was so happy to run into some close friends I haven't seen for too long! Later that day we went to Deer Creek to swim and have fun in the sun. Sadly, I once again forgot my camera for this event.

At the Parade with Grandma and Aunt Erica

Hugs for Grandma! Jocelyn kept giving her these "hugs" haha

Asleep on her daddy. Casey is the best at getting her to sleep.

Casey has been playing soccer forever. Since we started dating I have been going to his soccer games, sometimes two leagues at a time, and I am maybe finally starting to understand all the rules. This is hard because the rules are slightly different in all the leagues. He has played 7 peaks indoor soccer, BYU intramural soccer, timpanogous indoor soccer, and he just finished 7 peaks futsal league. Their team took 2nd in the tournament. I'm glad he is able to continue doing something he loves and it gives all of us wives a chance to hang out together. Sometimes we forget we are there to watch them and end up talking the whole time. :-) Thanks to our friends Steve and Sarah, Jocelyn has her own "soccer" outfit.

This last week I tended my youngest brothers while my parents went on the pioneer trek with the stake. We had a good time and for the most part they enjoyed Jocelyn. She did cry more than normal, I think because she wasn't at home in her own bed. Taylor, my 8 year old brother, told our Grandma that he needed ear plugs when Jocelyn was around. While we were at my parent's house Jocelyn made a new discovery- her feet!

Jocelyn and Uncle Taylio (That's what he wants Jocelyn to call him)

Jocelyn and Uncle Josh

Swimming at a neighbor's pool

On Sunday we went up Spanish Fork canyon to a reunion with my family. The family consists of my Grandpa Cowley, with his daughter, his son and family, and my dad, and my Grandpa Cowley's sister and her six kids and their families. I know most people don't know their second cousins, but I know mine on this side of the family. They have had a yearly reunion together since forever. It is so fun to see family, play games together, eat all the yummy food, and catch up.

Jocelyn and Me

I just can't get enough of Jocelyn! There's never enough smiles, laughs, cuddles, pictures, baby conversations, baths, etc. I love her so much! It is crazy how much life changes when you have a baby. The change can be hard but it is so good. And if any of you have tips on how to get a baby to take a bottle I would appreciate it. Jocelyn refuses to take a bottle and we are leaving her in September for a few days. She's going to have to take one. Here are some of my favorite pics of her recently.

Her beautiful smile

Her favorite toy is this little cow.